Unforseen Future: Book ONE: Rogue Knife
by Jeporra
Summary: For those of you who want a story, That's not filled with swords and glory. A simple tale of thieves that rob, And know that this is their destined job. A bunch of Crooks and Thieves and Spies, A story where people work with Lies. Book One COMPLETE!
1. So Long

Unforeseen Future

Chapter 1

"Darling, you know how I hate all these noble women, I mean your culture is very…well interesting, but I still wish my only daughter to have the life she wants, every night she speaks to me about being a hero, or a fighter, some one who was needed for something.

And I know Shelaya does not want to sit at home and chat with her noble friends." The pretty Bazhir women beseeched her husband.

Lord Zeen Cartwill stared at his beautiful wife. She was a rare prize, he found her when he was still quite young. He had travelled to the Bazhir tribes with his father when he was nearly out of his teens. His father had also been a Lord but their family history proved that the Cartwill family was nomadic, they had traveller's blood running through their veins, they were also known as excellent warriors and the most loyal people ever found in the whole of Tortall. So when his father had proved himself worthy of the tribe Zeen himself had to do so also, and he did beating one of the strongest men of the Bazhir tribe. 

Soon afterwards Zeen had met the beautiful and fey Parisha, daughter of the clan's current Voice, she was living in the desert with them, but after a few negotiations, a couple of stolen kisses behind the moonlit tents, Zeen and Parisha were soon wed.

It was years later, after visiting the Copper Isles, learning combat techniques with the Yamanis, understanding Shang fighting, camping out in Grimhold Mountains and sailing across the Emerald ocean, that Zeen and Parisha had finally settled town in a small rich village situated between Trebond and Naxen. It was there that they had their tribe of boys and their youngest child, and first daughter, Shelaya.

The boys after all reaching the ripe age of sixteen had left home and gone travelling just like it was in their blood to do so, each and every single one of the six boys had gone their different ways, they usually came home after a few months, and now Parisha and her husband were thinking of what sort of future their daughter held.

Shelaya was now a wise eleven years old, she was her mothers daughter, she had her mother's emerald eyes, and a mixture of both her father's and mother's skin, which made her a café-au-lait colour. Her hair was a blood red, just like all her brothers. Her nose and bone structure was quite regal, she had perfect posture, her body was of the mesomorphic type, but she had tough and wiry muscles so she didn't have an ugly body shape. Her mother thought she would be a perfect knight, so did Shelaya and so did her father.

Because of their family's nomadic ways, Zeen and Parisha had learnt a great deal of information, skills, combat techniques, and were extremely open minded, and very cultured. Which meant that all their children were the same, especially with their combat skills. They knew how to use a glaive, how to fight with a sword, a lance, a shukusen, their fists. How to be light when fighting, how to leap, somersault, flip, cartwheel, generally, they were perfect all over, including their intelligence, they knew about everything from Carthak to the Realm of the Gods. Each child could rattle of the names of all the gods and what they did, the names of every King of Tortall, every mage, wizard, witch who was famous.

The only thing the family was not into to was magic: the gift, wild magic, sorcery, anything that had to do with magic was out of the question. 

Other than that the Cartwill family, was a family everyone dreamed to be in.

(It was funny though, that Shelaya did not grow up to be a tom boy, she was…well… normal. Not too girly, not to boyish, just right)

And so it was decided, Shelaya was to go off to Corus to be a knight just like all the girls dreamed to be nowadays.

"Darling, do you have everything packed, are all your clothes in this pack, do not forget to take your hair brush, and a spare blanket for the trip there, do you have your retractable glaive? Make sure your sword is near, your bows are ready to use on the carriage, write me often sweet." Parisha was now fussing over her only daughter who was preparing to leave to become a Knight of the Realm.

"Mother, I'm fine, I have everything, I will not forget anything, I will write often, so often you will get sick of my letters. " The regal face of Shelaya did not match the sweet honey voice that came from her mouth. The girl suddenly turned to her mother "I will miss you mother, take care." She picked up her last bag and marched purposely out of her room down the large houses staircase and out the front door. The mother walked behind her and stopped as well when they reached the gate of the estate. She watched her daughter mount her magnificent horse Blaze who was deep red colour to match Shelaya's hair. Her heart filled with pride at her daughter's strength of character.

Shelaya's escorts would be riding along side her and the hired cabbie will be holding the luggage in the carriage, Shelaya had said she would ride on her beloved horse.

No one else would be joining the small group of six riders who would accompany Shelaya to the Palace on these left over cold winter days.

Parish reached for her daughter and kissed her on the forehead "Good bye mother" the girl firmly told her teary mother.

"Goodbye sweet, be good, don't boast, listen, watch, obey. Here…" The woman reached down to the end her breeches and pulled out a belt of specially made Bazhir daggers. She strapped the beautiful crafted piece of leather which held a dozen poisonous dagger onto Shelaya's left boot. "Take these just in case anything happens, and this…" She handed Shelaya a curved dagger made of gold "This was made for me by the shaman of my tribe, I want you to take it, I've never used it in anything other than fighting, he told me it had a measure of magic in it. Be careful" After that the woman gave her daughter a hug and walked bravely back to the doorway of the house to watch her youngest child, and only girl, leave.

Shelaya looked up to see her father instructing her escorts on what to do if they needed help in an emergency.

He sensed her looking at him and he abruptly stopped talking to the man. He walked to his daughter and smiled, she had his hair and his lips and she was all grown up now, and ready to fight….Oh he was so incredibly happy. He chucked her on the chin gave her a kiss on the cheek and said "Be a wonderful knight sweetheart so that the Cartwill family can be proud. My daughter, good bye and good luck" And with that he gave Blaze a good slap on the behind and sent the steed trotting out the gate and down the road that would lead through the small village centre and onto the road to Corus.

One of the escorts that Shelaya had already spent two days with was one of her fathers closest and trusted friend Lord Migeal. Lord Migeal was reasonably middle aged like her father and mother, in his late forties. But despite his age he was quite a funny man, and Shelaya would have been a nervous wreck on this journey if it wasn't for him, he made the young girl chuckle, chortle, giggle, snigger, titter, gurgle, burble and even laugh until she cried, he had stories stored in his memory about everything, from the King's underwear to Moonlight's mate, he had it all: the laughter, the tears, the swear words, he was so well versed in this lore that Shelaya had always thought he was a Bard in hiding, and she loved him, and that was why the poor girl was stricken when evil befell the group when they turned the next corner of the road they were on ,which was covered with snow, lit by the cold moon…


	2. Farewell

Chapter 2  
  
Lord Migeal was talking about how Alanna the Lioness had once had to dance with women and kiss their hands when his face paled.  
  
Shelaya looked at him and followed his gaze.  
  
There standing in the middle of the dark snow covered road was a troupe of…bandits.  
  
With a loud cry the leader of the bandits came upon Shelaya and her escorts with his group following.  
  
"Shelaya!" Lord Migeal cried "Stay back, run child! Run, ride away!" He screamed as he was grossly skewered.  
  
Shelaya watched in horror as the large number of fifteen men or so skewered her escorts, her blood ran ice cold through her veins.  
  
"Goddess!" she tried to scream but only a desperately frightened whisper came out of her eleven year old mouth.  
  
Her brain had by now disconnected from her body as she watched the bandits kill and rob her escorts and her beloved Lord Migeal. She watched herself in slow motion as she reached into her boots and grabbed eight daggers, she threw one by one as fast as she could at the fifteen men and turned Blaze around who was now snorting with fear.  
  
She gulped and gave Blaze a 'hahya' and sent him back down the road. Shelaya urged Blaze to get away from the horrific sight that Shelaya refused to believe.  
  
She felt Blaze pant with effort, and she dug her knees into his back and clung on, her blood was now uncomfortably hot, she slapped Blaze's damp behind to push him faster.  
  
But in vain, Shelaya could hear a male voice panting behind her, and another horse thundering close. She risked a look back and was revolted by the hairy, black haired man who was galloping on his heavy horse behind her, he had dark eyes, dark skin and he had a feeling of evil around him, she shuddered and turned back to the road.  
  
A whistle and an arrow came whistling past her ear, through the tangle of her hair and kept racing forward, a few second later, Shelaya felt a pain on her jaw line, she put her hand up to her right cheek and pulled her hands away to find a bright red colour moist on her hand. The arrow had grazed her across her jaw line; she would have a scar there forever.  
  
No time for scars, she thought. The young child started weaving her horse in order to miss the next wave of coming arrows.  
  
Shelaya remembered that coming this way, there had been a fork in the road, they had come from the right fork, the left fork was one leading into a forest, and Shelaya speculated that the one leading through the small forest was the one that lead to the Barony of Olua, the group had taken the Great north Road to the South, they had missed Trebond because that was farther north. She saw the fork in the road and veered to the left, she was now sweating extremely heavily and her heart was Definitely in her throat by now.  
  
Her marone coloured horses neck was wet with horse sweat and the stench hit her as another odour hit her from above and to the right.  
  
She looked up at the trees overhead, which made an arch over the road and glanced something flying over the thin part in the branches which showed the moon and the dark sky.  
  
Shelaya strained her eye sight.  
  
She saw a flitting image of some rather large moving object jump over the large trees, she didn't know what it was until it was too late.  
  
  
  
Blaze reared in fear as the dark object jumped through the branches and infront of the road. Shelaya was thrown off her horse and landed in a thorn bush, she felt pinpricks on her behind and heard a bone crack in one of her thighs. She cried out in pain.  
  
And looked towards the thing..  
  
Gulping in fear she recognized the being as another of those ugly, frightening creatures: a Spidren. Her fear elevated to heights she never dreamed of reaching, she could hear the thundering of the bandits approaching the dark moonlit path.  
  
Being a head strong girl, Shelaya did not faint…yet.  
  
The Spidren slashed at Blaze and the horse kicked back, sending the Spidren sprawling on his back.  
  
The horse turned to his master and saw she was in pain.  
  
Shelaya's eyes were now dropping tears like a tap, from pain, from fear, from sadness and from anger. What she needed now was a saviour, or else…. she would die. She let her lungs and her hoarse voice loose, sending out an anguished scream towards the Barony of Olua.  
  
Blaze gave the Spidren another kick in the head to send it unconscious, Shelaya saw the Bandits coming, her left thigh was screaming from pain, everything was happening at once, she couldn't handle it.  
  
Her mind exploded in absolute pain and she drifted into a painless slumber  
  
))))))))))))))))))) 


	3. Rest and relaxation

Chapter 3  
  
" I think she's waking, hand me that towel please, sire" Shelaya opened her eyes to feel her head pound like a thousand drums and to find a maid leaning over hear and towelling her sweaty head.  
  
"Now child, rest your head easy and you'll soon be fine" A male voice told Shelaya, she turned her eyes toward the voice, there stood an elderly man, he was short and plump with long brown hair streaked with grey and a long shaggy beard, he had a tiny delicate nose, a smiling mouth and large green brown eyes, Shelaya felt at ease as soon as she saw him, he felt as if he had a good nature.  
  
To Shelaya's eleven year old eyes he looked to be very important.  
  
She tried to get up but the maid held her down.  
  
"Nay child, yer sick and yer leg's all stuffed and needs a time t'heal, y'hear me?" the maid sternly told Shelaya.  
  
Shelaya nodded dumbly.  
  
"Good, Sire she's all your's, but she needs the rest so don't go and tire her out sire." The maid was older than the noble standing in the corner of the room and it seemed that she used to be his nursery maid when he was a lad.  
  
"Yes, Golphra" He chuckled to her. She exited the lavishly furnished room with a smile.  
  
Shelaya focused on her surrounding and saw that the room was warm, the bed was soft, the fire was comfortable and her headache was slowly disintegrating.  
  
The watched as the elderly man came closer to the bed and sat himself on a chair near it.  
  
"Welcome child to the Barony of Olua, now if you please, could you tell me what you had done to rile up that gang of Bandits and that Spidren who were likely to kill ye if my students and I were not our for an evening stroll?" he enquired.  
  
Shelaya looked at the man, he seemed kind enough and he deserved an answer, Shelaya tried to dredge up a memory but…. couldn't find one, she frowned, what was happening?  
  
"I.. I…. don't…don't know…..sire, uh, sir, sire" She concluded baffled.  
  
"Come now child I will not hurt you, and I do deserve an explanation for saving your life.." He glared at her. He remembered how his students had shouted when they saw a Spidren attacking a horse and a large group of men standing in a circle, they had gotten rid of them.  
  
She grimaced under his glare and concentrated again to bring up a memory, after three minutes of intense concentration, she still didn't come up with anything.  
  
"i….Sir….i…" she broke down and started to cry.  
  
The man looked at the girl and pondered what he would do with her, he assumed that she was a having a slight case of amnesia, but would soon remember what had happened, for now, he believed her and would wait until her memory came back to her. To comfort her he said: "I cleaned and fed your horse and he is now in the stables, I must say he is a very fine steed"  
  
"Horse?" she said, "I have a horse?"  
  
But by then he had walked out of the room.  
  
Shelaya relaxed on the bed and pondered her thoughts.  
  
She had a horse  
  
She couldn't remember anything except that her name was Shelaya and she was eleven.  
  
She remembered that she was supposed to be somewhere but couldn't remember where.  
  
She felt safe with this man looking after her  
  
She didn't remember anything about Bandits or Spidrens.  
  
She wanted….no needed… to leave this place, her memory couldn't remember what but she had to avenge someone or something.  
  
She thought about the last thought that had entered her mind, she needed to get out of here, and fast.  
  
She raised herself up in her elbows and proceeded to get out of bed.  
  
A flash of agonizing pain stopped her from going any further, her thigh seemed to be on terrible fire and her whole leg pumped with pain.  
  
She tried to move in a more comfortable position, what was she to do?  
  
She sat and considered her current position.  
  
Who was she? What was she? If she was to get out of her, where would she go?  
  
The next couple of weeks saw that Shelaya stayed in that bed, her memory didn't return, but her knowledge of where she was grew.  
  
  
  
  
  
Eight weeks later.  
  
Shelaya was now fully healed from her leg accident, the healers that had come had said she was lucky that she had not broken the bone near a joint or else she would have pain there for a long time, especially in the cold.  
  
Her bone healed and soon Shelaya was up and about in the Barony of Olua.  
  
After a few weeks in bed, Shelaya had found out that the kind Elderly man was called Sir Miles of Olua, he was a teacher at Corus in the palace and he often came home for festivals or holidays, three weeks after Shelaya had broken her leg, he had left the Barony, but returned two weeks later, other than that Shelaya knew nothing of the man, so she kept to her self.  
  
**  
  
Sir Miles had been preoccupied with Shelaya for the past eight weeks, he thanked the Goddess that it was the summer holidays, for her knew he wouldn't have been able to cope with teaching and finding the poor girl's family.  
  
The past seven weeks he had ventured across the southern end of Tortall trying to find Shelaya's family, he did not even know her last name, for she had forgotten that also.  
  
(The first week was the last week of training for the students that year and they had come to finish their training at his home, that was when they had seen Shelaya.  
  
They left a week later.)  
  
He did not expose himself too much to the girl, because he knew he would get attached to her, she was a fine young sprout with a bright mind and a fine horse, and he, unfortunately did not have time to make more friends of youngsters, he already had his incredible students, Keladry and Neal and his highness prince Roald and his grandchildren, and all the squires, pages and Knights at the palace, he couldn't risk making a close bondage with an unknown child.  
  
The poor girl was bored, he knew, but he daren't tell her stories of what happened in the palace and such, he did not know what sort of parents she had, she might have had parents who hated the very idea of girls becoming knights and he did not want to risk the outcome of the girl wanting to become a lady knight, so he stayed away from the topic of Knighthood and told the girl the history of Tortall and stories of mythical beasts, basic things children should have been taught since they were young, in the hope of her regaining her memory.  
  
And as time flew by, the girl progressed in her learning, she was a quick learner with an equally quick mind, he was pleased, she would have been a great Baroness if she was a noble, or one of the Queen's riders.  
  
But he did not venture into anything about politics.  
  
And he continued to send his network of spies across the country to find this girl's family.  
  
  
  
)))))))))))  
  
And the reason why he could not find the Cartwills was because they, and their nomadic ways had packed up and decide to holiday in Galla, not knowing that their child had not reached her destination. And thinking that their child's escorts had returned safely home, for they were far away with no contact from their village.  
  
  
  
  
  
It had been twelve weeks now since Shelaya had witnessed the forgotten scene of Lord Migeal's death and the breaking of her femur.  
  
A long waited three months of depression had passed; Shelaya was now feeling caged, not unusual since she had wandering blood running through her. She had deliberately stopped herself form getting attached to any of the people in this Barony, she knew she'd be leaving soon and did not want to feel bad when she left.  
  
The sense of urgency grew with every passing day, Shelaya was to leave.  
  
And it was on her unknown twelfth birthday night that she decide to leave the place.  
  
That night Shelaya knew that Sir Miles had drunk himself to sleep, the servants were still rummaging around the castle.  
  
She collected the clothes that she had been given into a leather bag, dressed herself in dark clothing.  
  
She slipped a golden dagger in her belt.  
  
The day Shelaya had woken up after begin rescued Sir Miles had shown her that they had found items in her clothes, she had a glaive (that was what Sir Miles called it) that fit in her back, a golden dagger set with jewels that looked priceless, a belt of daggers with newly replaced daggers in the belt.  
  
Now she strapped the belt of daggers on her soft leather boots, the glaive was placed in her back, it fit perfectly in the small of her back and between her shoulders, it was as if it was made for her, it probably was.  
  
She tied her marone coloured with a black piece of cloth, grabbed a thick dark cloak and softly slid out of the room.  
  
During the weeks of recovery Shelaya had realised that she was quick on her feet, and had continuously climbed trees and jumped on roofs when she could, whenever the maids weren't looking, because she knew they would practically kill her if they found out. She knew she would need this training later on.  
  
And it was now that this came in handy, she walked down the long corridor and came to a room that was for relaxing, a lounge and a bowl of fruit in one corner, a balcony and silk curtain on the other, and a door up ahead which led to the stairwell.  
  
She tiptoed to the balcony, opened quietly and slipped out into the cold night.  
  
The moon was up, so it was good for illumination. There were a few dark clouds in the sky.  
  
Nearly spider like, Shelaya grabbed hold of the jutting stone on the wall, and started to pull herself all the way up to the roofs.  
  
Landing, Shelaya took a deep breath, she was amazed at how well her bone had healed, she felt no pain whatsoever, and she was in perfect health.  
  
She turned around and surveyed the dark Barony and surrounding village.  
  
She breathed the cold crisp night air.  
  
And saw two riders approaching the gates of the Barony. She crouched as she watched them enter galloping with two might horses.  
  
She needed to get out of here fast.  
  
She ran across the flat roof of the great castle, watching for guards.  
  
As she reached a gap in the roof she readied herself and…jumped.  
  
And landed perfectly on the roof of the stables.  
  
She went to the edge of the large building, squatted at the rim, placed her hands on the frame….and went over the edge.  
  
She ended up hanging off the frame of the open doorway of the stables, facing away from the animals inside.  
  
She dropped down and headed towards the horses.  
  
She had ridden her so-called horse, a couple of times; she did not know his name.  
  
She went to him and looked at his handsomeness, he was beautiful, and his hair was the same colour as hers, which was pretty uncanny.  
  
She got the horses saddle, and tack ready to place it on him when she heard the sound of walking horses and talking voices.  
  
She held her breathe, they were definitely coming closer.  
  
She looked to the side, up and down.  
  
She glanced back up to the roof of the stables, the rafter were not that far, there were wooden blocks of wood that stretched across the whole stable from corner to corner.  
  
She leaped and grabbed hold of the rough wood underneath her finger tips, swinging her legs up, she somehow managed to get her whole body up on those wooden bars, she walked to the corner of the stables, careful that she didn't fall of and crouched in the dark, trying to stop her loud heart beating.  
  
She then watched as two very important people entered the dark stables, of course Shelaya did not who they were…. 


	4. Skills

Chapter 4  
  
Shelaya heard a giggle and a chuckle as the two people entered in, she watched as they emerged into the light with their two horses.  
  
The one closest two Shelaya was a man; he was tall and broad shouldered, with brown hair. His nose was too big for good looks, he had hazel eyes and his grin was catching, and right now that grin was given to his companion.  
  
His companion was a much shorter person, Shelaya thought it was a very small man, but her perceptive eyes caught the femininity of her face. She was built along stocky lines and had coppery red hair that was like a flame underneath her helmet. Her eyes sparkling purple light when she looked Shelaya's way.  
  
She looked to be trained, and right now that woman and the man were unsaddling their horses and brushing them down.  
  
Shelaya pushed herself into the corner of the building roof more, she was not afraid of heights and was very confident of staying absolutely motionless on the hand-width board underneath her that was the only thing between her and the ten meter drop.  
  
"So anyway, I figured if I couldn't see her, then why don't I relax and forget Jon and come and visit Myles, and I just had to bring you along darling, I needed a break from the kids" She explained to the man.  
  
"That's alright lass, ye need the separation from ol'Jon, and I'm glad ye decided to bring me along, I knew ye would be depressed." He finished brushing down his grey mare and walked to the woman's side, he gave her a soft kiss behind her ear.  
  
She giggled and stopped brushing her glorious creamy colored horse; she turned around and gave herself completely to the man's passionate and deep kiss.  
  
The stopped only when they were in fear of suffocating, she turned back to her horse just a bit flurried up.  
  
He grabbed a post and sat himself on the end of the gateway for her horse's stall.  
  
There was silence as her horse harrumphed through his nose and stamped his feet, and a gentle murmuring of "Easy, easy" from the woman.  
  
Another complete silence and the man opened his mouth, at first Shelaya did not understand him for she was too shocked, but it slowly sank in.  
  
"Lass, I'm pretty sure 'tis uncomfortable there for ye up there in the corner of the building, with th'cobwebs and spiders running along yer arms."  
  
Silence.  
  
Shelaya realised he was talking to her.  
  
He looked up and without hesitation made perfect hazel eyed contact with her, and grinned. Her emerald eyes widened.  
  
Shelaya heard the woman murmur "What?" absently.  
  
Oh well, she'll run away later, they can't stop her, they seemed interesting people.  
  
She stood up on the board and took a step of it, and landed crouched on her feet like a cat.  
  
Now you can imagine, if Shelaya was older she would look absolutely breath taking, but for now, Shelaya looked like a pretty and surprisingly eerie child with maroon coloured hair.  
  
She stood up slowly from a cat-like crouch and smiled at the man. Behind him she saw the woman's jaw drop and say, "Where'd you come from?"  
  
The man slowly gave her a toothy smile and jumped off from the stall gate and walked slowly to the eleven year old. "Hello lass, and what's yer name?" He squatted to make better eye contact with her, but he was too low.  
  
So Shelaya squatted down too to make better eye contact with him and heard the woman burst out laughing.  
  
She watched as the man chuckled.  
  
"My name is Shelaya," she gravely told him, her green eyes sparkling. His eyes softened and he sat for moment staring into her eyes  
  
"Well Shelaya, I have to say, you have a very flexible and toned body" the red headed woman strolled to where the man and the child were squatting solemnly.  
  
"So tell me, where are you from Shelaya?" The woman continued.  
  
"I don't know," Shelaya, told her softly, she turned to the man "Would you?"  
  
The man looked puzzled and spoiled the hushed moment with the mysterious child "Why should I?"  
  
"Well you knew I was up there, how?" She said in the brazen way children do.  
  
"Well," He got up from his crouching position "I was trained as a child."  
  
"You were trained as what?" she got up too.  
  
"Ahh…well…a thief"  
  
Shelaya's eyes opened in wonder. The man caught the look.  
  
The woman interrupted "How can you not know where you come form?"  
  
"I forgot my memory, I nearly died and Sir Myles saved my life, he's nice, but I'm going now, because I feel caged, I can't stay, I have to …to go somewhere.  
  
The three quietened and absorbed what she said.  
  
"Oh dear child" The woman crooned "You poor thing"  
  
"Go where?" the man said, "Where's your family, who is your family?"  
  
"I don't know" Shelaya shrugged.  
  
"Well then you can't go anywhere, you must stay until Myles finds your family, I'm pretty sure he's looking for them right now."  
  
"He has been from three months now, my thigh bone broke and it healed and I'm still here, I must go?"  
  
"Why?" the woman said at the same time the man exclaimed "You broke your thigh bone and you were able to land like that?"  
  
Shelaya answered both questions "Because."(to Alanna) "I wouldn't call it perfect," (to George) "I would like to perfect it, but." The 'but' stayed hanging in the air.  
  
He noted that as well.  
  
"I must go, you will never see me again." She turned to go away. Child solemnity at its greatest.  
  
"Wait!" The woman said  
  
The man grabbed her arm as the woman started to lecture Shelaya about responsibility, Shelaya was unaware of what the woman was saying, but was looking at what the man was doing, she watched as he carefully slipped a parchment into her bag, he did so quickly that it was nearly unrecognizable.  
  
She smiled up at him and nodded to show she knew what he was doing.  
  
His eyes widened because he was surprised she had seen something so fast, even the woman didn't see it.  
  
The man stopped the woman in mid sentences. "Alanna, dear, I think she should do this.."  
  
"But George, she could die out there, with all the Spidrens and all"  
  
"Look at her horse, he's mighty fine, and she's equipped with weapons even you can't tell where they are"  
  
"Weapons what weapons, George?"  
  
"See, sweet, she's an incredibly smart child, she could have worked for my court and been one of my best, she has a retractable glaive strapped in her clothes to her back, a golden dagger in her belt hidden under her shirt, a dagger belt on her boots and others I probably don't know about. Dear Alanna, you're here to relax, look, how old is she?"  
  
"Eleven" Shelaya piped up.  
  
"See? Daine was around that age when she decide to come to Corus, she was living by herself without family for a year before that, children these days can take care of themselves."  
  
Alanna sighed, "Where are you off to child?"  
  
"The capital somewhere."  
  
The palace?"  
  
"Maybe. Corus, somewhere, I don't know."  
  
"And what will you do there?"  
  
"Find my family, find a job, find a life" The child shrugged.  
  
"We'll be following you, a days ride behind you, understand? I know you don't want Myles to know, but we'll be watching, I will not a child be hurt for no reason George." She turned to her husband, he nodded  
  
"So it's back to Jonathon, eh, Lioness?" He chuckled "Alright"  
  
"Look" Shelaya intercepted "You don't need to help me, okay. I doubt I'll find my family, but if I do, I still have to go to Corus, I remember I had to go somewhere, and where else but the capital, so I'm fine, I can take care of myself, I'll live. I'll find a trade, no problem"  
  
Alanna wasn't even listening, but George was, when Shelaya had finished, Alanna turned to him and said "Go on" As if Shelaya had not even spoken.  
  
He then proceeded to check the girl if she had provisions for a days trip. He was surprised to find she was sensible with what she packed, light things and weapons.  
  
He helped her get on her horse and led it out side towards the gate of the Barony. Alanna followed with a dazed and slightly angry look in her face.  
  
"Be careful" she said  
  
A creepy feeling of de'javu overtook Shelaya and she shook.  
  
Alanna caught the shiver "Maybe we shouldn't let her go, she's just a child!"  
  
George ignored her, he whispered into the girl's ear "Careful, read the parchment I gave ye, ye might be interested, farewell, be careful and remember to all stay on the balls of yer feet, it'll help ye."  
  
"Thankyou Sir" Shelaya's emerald eyes twinkled as she embedded the picture of this man in her memory for later use.  
  
She looked at Alanna and did the same with her, but not with so much intensity.  
  
"Yaa" she told Blaze and felt George slap him on the rump.  
  
She felt free… 


	5. Freedom

Chapter 5  
  
The real reason why Alanna had not really wanted to stop and go with Shelaya straight away was because the poor Lioness was pregnant and didn't feel up to riding all the way back to that ungrateful King. George had convinced her that Shelaya was old enough to look after herself. She figured after a days rest at the Barony she would ride back the next day.  
  
Unfortunately, the next morning Alanna was seized by contractions, Braxton hicks, a false alarm and Sir Miles insisted that she not ride out.  
  
Alanna was still worried about Shelaya "George we said we were going to follow the poor child…"  
  
"Darling, you're in pain, we can't go"  
  
"Well….well, then you go along, I'll be fine here with my father"  
  
George looked at her and saw the pleading look she gave him, he nodded reluctantly "Alright lass, I'll go, but don't forget that…"  
  
"Where's Shelaya!!" George and Alanna heard Sir Miles screaming and shouting at his servants.  
  
A bang and the red faced man burst into the room.  
  
The two jumped. "What's wrong father?" Alanna asked innocently  
  
"I…I…I had a child living here with me, she had lost her memory and was hurt, I saved her life, and was looking for her family until this day, I think she ran away, I can't find her. Have you seen her?"  
  
"S..S..seen her, I…uh.." Alanna looked up at George. He squeezed her hand "We haven' t seen anyone sir" George told Sir Miles firmly.  
  
"Oh." He wiped his sweaty face with a red handkerchief "Oh…dear, now I must send out some of my men to find her, oh dear, and they were supposed to be looking for her family, now we'll be even more delayed. The poor, poor child" He sighed and turned away.  
  
"Wait!" George called "I…I can go after her sir, I'll find her"  
  
"Are you sure?" Miles asked, "I don't want to trouble you, it's not necessary"  
  
"'Tis no trouble at all, and it is necessary what's the lass look like?" he smiled softly, humoring Myles.  
  
"Oh, she has amazing color hair, marone I think, yay high, and emerald eyes, she's a very distinctive child, 'bout eleven you can't miss her, I don't think she could have gone far, I mean her femur was broken not so long ago..."  
  
"That so?" George asked. So the child had not been lying to him.  
  
"Yes, but she is better, oh dear, oh...oh dear. Well do you need some help, she might be hard to find, who knows where she is now." Miles stuttered  
  
"I think I can find her, I WAS a former thief..." George smirked  
  
"No worries, Father, George'll find, won't ye laddy'm'love" Alanna turned to her dear husband.  
  
"That I will, ladybuck" His eyes twinkled. "I'll go right away, I'll just go pack my bags and horse and come back before I leave."  
  
He gave Alanna peck on the cheek and exited the room.  
  
"Thank you George" Miles called out and collapsed on a chair near the bed Alanna was lying on.  
  
"How are you doing my dear?"  
  
"Fine Father"  
  
"Good, good" He absently patted her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shelaya did not know how Alanna and George confronted Sir Myles about her running away, for she did not care. She was on a journey to find her new life, or find her past.  
  
She traveled back down the road in which she had supposedly broken her leg and nearly died, being attacked by a creature called Spidren, and bandits.  
  
At the moment Shelaya's memory was still sketchy, with the help of Sir Myles she had regained all facts in life. But what was lost to her was her absolute past, everything and anyone she had known had been forgotten. Shelaya's mind was a jumble, anything about her family was completely wiped out, and she was frustrated about that.  
  
She had already travelled the night of her birthday (which she did not know about), when she had met George and Alanna, set up camp, slept and woken up again to continue travelling through the next day.  
  
Galloping down the road and through the forest, Shelaya was suddenly seized by a terrific headache.  
  
She woah-ed her horse into halting and slid of him, she felt disoriented and needed to sit down on solid ground.  
  
As soon as she hit the earth, Shelaya's mind was thrown into tantrum like screaming. She glimpsed images, images of her and Blaze, bandits and a Spidren.  
  
It took Shelaya 20 minutes before she had completely remembered that scene.  
  
She got on her knees and threw up everything she had eaten that day.  
  
She looked up at the dark clouds in the night sky and thought she'd better hurry and find a campsite.  
  
She placed her feet in Blazes stirrup and hoisted herself on. He snorted "Easy, old boy, I remember you now" She gave him an affectionate hug and eased him into a fast trot then a fast gallop.  
  
Shelaya spent the day galloping and resting, until the sky had turned into a dusky blue.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that morning, after giving farewells to his wife and her stomach, George Cooper, former King of Thieves, rode out of the Barony of Olua and onto the North Road towards Corus, the road Shelaya had taken.  
  
By late noon he had found her horse's footsteps and followed the tracks.  
  
After a few hours, he was in seeing distance of Shelaya. He kept a close eye on her, but kept his distance, watching the child, and making sure she was in no danger. He figured that she would probably take the offer he had given her in the parchment.  
  
The sunset, and George kept watch as Shelaya set up her camp, and then he set his.  
  
  
  
Setting up camp was a breeze. She settled under a tree with low, thick foliage that acted as a roof. She made a small fire, fed Blaze some oats, and sat down to eat her meal. Remembering that George had given her something, Shelaya excitedly rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a folded piece of parchment and plonked down to read it:  
  
If ye have gotten this parchment, it means that either ye're interested in this profession, or someone special realises that this would be yer perfect profession. If ye ARE interested, then ye should go th'Dancing Dove for an interview, keep this parchment safe, do not let anyone else take it, when ye reach th'Dancing Dove ask fer the 'Rogue' From then on, if you are hired, than life shall be…as ye wish it t'be.  
  
Court of th'Rogue  
  
Hmmm, Shelaya thought, this interesting, I have no where to go, I know no one, I am not afraid, which is weird. I might as well go there, they're offering me a job, I think, yes...yes when I reach Corus, I WILL go there, yes, yes I will. She nodded in agreement to her idea. She shivered excitedly and cuddled up to Blaze to sleep. She sighed in her sleep, in contentment. 


	6. Corus

Chapter 6  
  
Shelaya, unknown by her that her last name is Cartwill, rode through the gates of the capital city Corus late the next afternoon.  
  
Shelaya got off Blaze and led him through the crowds, it looked like market day or something.  
  
Mothers were grabbing little boys by the ears and lecturing them, little girls skipped between legs and hooves, horses shied away from bellowing men announcing their merchandise, women in tight bodices fluttered their eyelashes at shirtless men who looked like they were building a chapel, their muscles bunched up under the hot sun and sweat glistened on their tanned bodies.  
  
Shelaya stood awed, but she felt like she had been here before, a flash and a pain in her head sent her stumbling to the ground, she cried out and a scene followed:  
  
A five year old Shelaya looked at the crowds from on top of her family's travel caravan.  
  
"Mommy, mommy there's so many people, is it really Corus?"  
  
A heavenly sweet voice answered her "Yes darling it is."  
  
The child looked up to look into her mothers sweet face, the present day Shelaya held her breathe, maybe now she'd know who her mother was, but she was jolted out of her reverie-  
  
"-Hey, kid, are you okay! Woah there, come on I'll help you up"  
  
Shelaya groaned in frustration  
  
"Hey, easy there" The voice said  
  
Shelaya forced herself to breathe easy, her emerald eyes swung up to meet lapis lazuli coloured ones.  
  
"Come on"  
  
She let herself be lifted up off the ground.  
  
"Let's go over there, where it's a bit quieter and you can catch your breath."  
  
She quietly followed the owner of the lapis lazuli eyes, who was guiding Blaze.  
  
The three figures threaded their way through the thickening crowds.  
  
The lapis lazuli owner walked towards a long strip of land, like sidelines to the market, covered with heavy material that blocked the sun, it was like a tent with no sides just a roof, and it was rectangular in shape and it went around the city.  
  
"Here" the lapis lazuli-eye owner tied Blazes reins to a near by post and gave him a trough of water and a mound of oats.  
  
Shelaya found a large pillow-like seat and plonked herself down.  
  
She placed her aching head in her hands.  
  
"So what was that all about?" An inquiring voice disturbed her thoughts.  
  
She burst out "Why'd you do that for, I was this close!! I was SOOOOOO close, but noooooo you had to interrupt. Yes?!!! Gghhhhhraaaaa"  
  
The lapis lazuli eyes widened in surprise, "Okaaaaaaayy, I guess you're not in the mood, and uh…you're welcome"  
  
"Look, I'm sorry.." Shelaya began  
  
"No it's alright, I mean…no worries, kid."  
  
Shelaya looked up at the lapis lazulis and let her emerald eyes travel across the rest of the face and body. No wonder Lapis called her 'kid'.  
  
He had jet-black hair, not oily or shiny with chemicals, no it was soft and clean and fresh looking, falling down softly across his forehead and cut to his ears.  
  
His jaw line was strong showing that he was no child. His lips sensual, his chin stubborn.  
  
He was tall, and was muscular, not wiry muscles, nor bulky, but well built. He looked around seventeen or eighteen, much too old for Shelaya; she was just a kid really.  
  
His clothes were made up of different shades of blue, probably to compliment his eyes, Shelaya thought, loose and well fitting. Overall, he was absolutely gorgeous.  
  
And Shelaya didn't even blink.  
  
As she was studying him, he was studying her and her results were "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing, with those gorgeous green eyes, and that silky blood-red hair, y'know what, you remind me of a…. leprechaun, that's it!" He laughed out loud.  
  
Shelaya's eyebrow rose "Okaaaaaaayy."  
  
"Well, aren't you gonna ask me what a leprechaun is?" He asked with a smirk on his face.  
  
"No, I already know." She shrugged  
  
He gave her a sideways glance, with a slight widening of his lapis lazulis. "Smart kid huh?"  
  
She shifted in her spot, and her golden dagger momentarily showed from under her dark tunic. She covered it up and glimpsed at the boy to see if he had seen anything, no he hadn't, she thought.  
  
Shelaya and the stranger continued talking, him trying to get answers out of her and her giving him the vaguest of grunts for an answer.  
  
But it was in mid-sentence that Shelaya felt a shifting in her clothes, oh- ever-so-slightly-as-it-was, she still felt it.  
  
She felt the pressure of her clothes change minutely and a breathe of wind colder than before by mini-degrees hit her hip.  
  
She listened to the boy avidly but inconspicuously slid her eyes downward.  
  
And what she saw made her nearly burst out laughing, but before she laughed she said "What are you doing?" Very pointedly to the boy.  
  
He froze and his eyes became round as saucers "Child prodigy" He whispered, he let go of her dagger and promptly disappeared.  
  
Shelaya blinked in surprise, well that was a quick get away. She looked around, and spotted him climbing the side of a building with a speed Shelaya didn't even dream to match.  
  
She turned back and then she let out her guffaws.  
  
  
  
George watched with amusement from a good hiding spot, his trained eyes watched everything with care. And when he saw the young man run away he clapped out loud "Well done Shelaya, well done, you'll do." He chuckled and walked away.  
  
  
  
Soon after, as Shelaya was walking around munching on some flavoured bread with Blaze in tow, she finally got up the courage to ask where the Dancing Dove was.  
  
She stopped in front of a dress shop, tied Blaze to a post told him to 'guard' and went inside.  
  
The shop was immaculately clean, and there were many pieces of beautiful materials on sale, there were pieces of lace, bodices, dresses, stocking, underclothes all displayed perfectly through out the shop.  
  
Shelaya walked towards the end of the shop, where the owner was sitting down, looking like she was working on a dress.  
  
As she neared, the owner looked "''ternoon, m'lady, how are ye?"  
  
"Fine thank you" Shelaya answered politely. She looked closely at the woman, she was rather pretty, with full lips and big brown eyes, she was short and plump and looked absolutely sweet.  
  
"Were ye after somethin' miss?"  
  
"I…uh…" Now that the woman had mentioned it, Shelaya remembered that she could never get a job without a few under and outer clothes, she couldn't just wear her black tunic, pants and cloak forever, but she only had a few gold coins, when she left the Barony, she had forgotten to take money with her, maybe she could barter something…  
  
"Well, yes…I am after something, but…but" She looked helplessly at the woman.  
  
"Oh dear…well…" She looked confused "Are ye lost miss?"  
  
"No, I…uh, no, I'm fine, but I didn't take any money with me, and …"  
  
"Oh"  
  
"I'm an orphan"  
  
"Ooohhhh"  
  
"And I'll be getting a job soon"  
  
"In Corus?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"And do ye happen t'need whatever yer looking fer right now?"  
  
"Well…yes" Shelaya told her uncertainly  
  
"Well then, I'm sure I could wait a few days fer my money t'come, don't ye agree miss?" The woman smiled at Shelaya gently  
  
Shelaya's eyes snapped open "Oh…I couldn't, I mean…here why don't you take this" She pulled out her golden dagger and gave it to the woman. The woman's smiled and eyes widened.  
  
"Miss, Mithros no!! Do ye know how much this would cost miss? This is priceless, miss, don't let anyone see that, unless ye'll be using it, no miss, I suggest ye keep that, looks like a family heirloom to me…"  
  
Shelaya breathed.  
  
"Come on, lets see what we can get fer ye, and ye can pay me all of it later okay, by the way, my name is Lalasa, Miss."  
  
"Oh, thank you ever so much Lalasa" the girl hugged Lalasa.  
  
"'Tis alright, Miss, ye look ever so honest t'goodness, I couldn't help helpin' ye" The woman chuckled.  
  
"I'm Shelaya, and I…uh…well…"  
  
"…I hope we can be friends, Shelaya" Lalasa finished for her.  
  
"Now, let's see, you need a deep red tunic and green pants, of course some underclothes, a burgundy gown, an olive gown, a jade outfit… what sort of job are ye doing?" Lalasa chattered.  
  
"I couldn't possibly afford all that," Shelaya gasped as Lalasa started pulling her clothes off and giving her outfits to try and ignoring Lalasa previous question  
  
"Okay, how about this, I give you everything you'll buy now for half price, if you will be a constant customer, meaning you will buy clothes only from my shop, deal?" Lalasa asked as she helped her into a tester-blue tunic  
  
Shelaya looked at the clothes she was wearing, it felt oh-so-comfortable "DEAL!" She laughed, "Of course! I mean your clothes, they look and feel so good."  
  
"Well, why do you think the Queen chose me to make her gowns for her" Lalasa boasted with pride  
  
"The Queen!!" Shelaya goggled "Woo, you must be really good, I'll definitely be a constant customer."  
  
"Alright, now lets get you into a fitting for some instant clothes…" 


	7. Clothes and....

Chapter 7  
  
"Now let me get this straight" the former maid said "Ye don't know what the job is, but ye're going to the interview because someone thinks ye can do this job, wow, I mean, if ye think it's good fer ye, well go ahead."  
  
Lalasa was wrapping the last of Shelaya's purchases into paper bags.  
  
"Thanks for the support Lalasa, and you've helped me a lot, I promise I'll be back soon to pay you, if I get this job" Shelaya called to the dress maker.  
  
"Goddess bless Shelaya!" She yelled out "Poor dear, doesn't even remember her family, Mithros Guide her." She murmured to herself.  
  
Shelaya paused at the door, "Oh shoot, I came here for something and I totally forgot about it" She went back into the shop. "Sorry Lalasa, I forgot to ask you something, which was why I actually came to this shop. Do you know where the Dancing Dove is?"  
  
"The Dancing Dove, why ever for, yer too young to drink child."  
  
"Oh no, not for drinking, for my job"  
  
"Yer job!! In the Dancing Dove" She raised her eyebrows, Well it's none of my business, "Uh…it's just around this corner, go straight and ye'll find a large inn, be careful Shelaya"  
  
" I will, and thank you again Lalasa" this time the girl went out of the shop and followed the directions.  
  
  
  
Shelaya walked into the inn cautiously.  
  
Men guffawed and laughed loudly as they drank their wine, music played, scantily dressed women weaved their way among the men, dancing, serving, talking, chattering, giggling, just like common women should do. Shelaya didn't know she was a noble, but she was still embarrassed for these women. Oh well.  
  
She walked towards the bartender. "Uh, excuse me"  
  
The bald burly man looked down at her "How can I help ye miss?"  
  
He asked her as if it was common for children to wonder towards a bar.  
  
"Uh, I'm looking for the Rogue"  
  
The man chuckled "And why would ye need the Rogue fer?" He asked  
  
She fished in her pocket for the parchment. He looked at it for a few seconds, he gave it back to her and said "I'll give ye a room and food fer today, someone will be coming t' ye tonight, dress well." He grabbed her hand and led her towards the stairs, which wound upwards to other rooms.  
  
"Uh I left my horse outside" she said  
  
"Bein' taken care of, no worries lass."  
  
He opened a room and led her inside "Special accommodations, courtesy of the old King" And he walked out.  
  
"Whaa…?"  
  
She shook her head and decided to sleep for a few hours to get ready for her interview later on.  
  
  
  
"Li'le missy, wake up, time ta git drissed, you were supowseta git driised a while ago now. Go on git up please."  
  
Shelaya's natural distress and reflexes made her leap up from the bed and grab the person/intruder in the bed room in a painful double arm twist and press it against their back.  
  
"Ay, ay, s'alright, 'm only 'ere to git you drissed, though ah don't know fer the life o' me why I'm gittin' this job, y'ed think a girl would 'ave more work to do then to lounge 'round and driss up girls fer the old king. Now there was a king, mother tells me 'e was loyal as a person can be as a king. He was soo….." The person would have go on and on if Shelaya hadn't let her go and spun her around and said "Uh, I don't need help dressing."  
  
"Yes y'do"  
  
Shelaya breathed and said resignedly "Alright" Feeling ever so…drained?  
  
"M'name is Feyone li''e miss, whass yours?"  
  
"Uh…Shelaya"  
  
Shelaya looked at Feyone, looked at her very carefully. Feyone was dressed in a dark purple outfit. She had loose satin breeches on, the sort that bunched up around her waist, and both ankles (sort of Arabian like). Over those she had a lighter purple silk tunic. The tunic was a piece of cloth with just an opening for the head (like a Mexican poncho but much smaller) There were no sleeves. The tunic was worn, placing your head through the opening. There were holes on the sides of the tuning, and two silk laces were threaded through these holes on both sides of the dress (like sneakers) and tied in a pretty fashion when they reached just below Feyone's hip bone. The tunic itself reached mid-thigh. Under the tunic, Feyone wore a see through dark purple shirt. The tunic was also adjusted to make Feyone look seductive by making the neckline really low, so that if she wasn't wearing a shirt underneath, a sufficient amount of cleavage would be showing.  
  
Shelaya's eyes looked at Feyone's feature. She looked to be about seventeen, she had black hair and dark brown eyes, a fine scar ran the left side of her face and another through her left eyebrow. Other than that Feyone was rather pretty, her skin was pale next to Shelaya's golden skin.  
  
And she was rather short.  
  
Shelaya was a bit perplexed and she told Feyone so "Excuse me, if you don't mind me saying, you don't …look like a maid or - or …"  
  
The shorter, older girl gave small klip of girlish giggle "That's cause I'm not, I work 'ere, but no 'ere if ye git ma drift" She winked conspiratorially at Shelaya.  
  
Shelaya did not, but she still nodded. She felt, amused and humoured by this funny girl, and she felt she could trust her straight away.  
  
"Right Shelaya" She said in her uncultured accent "Let's find ye somethin t'wear eh?"  
  
The girl bustled about, and searched through Shelaya's saddlebag, which she had put her clothes in.  
  
"Hmmm…well it's not Midwinter, but it'll be soon, so I suggist ye'wear jist this tunic like dress and skirt. My my, this is very good quality, where'd ye git it from, never mind, let's get ye cleaned up and dressed."  
  
Feyone then went on to dunk Shelaya into a warm bubbly bath tub, scrub her clean, pull her out, dry her wild cascade of hair that was until now tied up.  
  
"My, aren't ye beoootiful, lovely 'air I must say Shelaya, mmmm"  
  
She brushed Shelaya's now dried hair until it shone.  
  
Helping Shelaya into her clothes which were: A burdungy tunic which reached her lower thigh, with a split in the material from hip downwards. The tunic was body hugging from the top and flared out after her hip line, so the rest of the material from hip and downwards swished around. The material was silk with a layer of cotton underneath to stop the silk from being soaked with sweat. It was plain with a single rose embroidered on the breast area with thick red thread. The sleeves were short, coming only to her elbow and holding tightly to her skin, the dress itself was far from loose on Shelaya  
  
The skirt was a deep dark red almost purple. It looked like a skirt, but it was really a pair of very loose pants that looked cool and light to wear. The material was very light but not see through. Shelaya looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked very…bloody, with green eyes. She complained about this to Feyone.  
  
"Don't be silly gal, Ye look lovely, I'd kill to 'ave 'air like yers, beootiful, ye're. Red jist matches ye.  
  
Now all we need t'do is tied yer hair up like so, twist it and brush it and curl and there we go!"  
  
Shelaya looked at her hair, it was… well…a Creation. And with one ribbon too  
  
"Wow, you're um…really good, thank you, c-could I just ask, what sort of job this is?"  
  
"Ye don't know? Ah…well. Ye've been given th'parchemnt so ye've been recommended, which means ye'll be good at this job, and since ye don't know, well, it must mean I 'am not suppowsta say anything. Now eat this, I'll be back in a few minutes to take ye fer yer interview. Ye gat a weapon or two?"  
  
Shelaya looked puzzled but nodded. 


	8. Dilemma.....

Chapter 8  
  
"Father always useta tell me that I talk twenty-four-seven, d'ye think I do, I don't, well nayway, he useta say thit a gril like me was neva bound to git a job cause he thought I was not smart enough, well I showed 'im didn't I" Shelaya had a small smirk on her face, this girl's constant chatter was very amusing, even if she didn't sound as though she had much smarts.  
  
"Feyone are you sure my hair will hold up with just one ribbon?"  
  
"Sure, yeah, why not?"  
  
Shelaya was following the girl down some stairs, in the back way of the whole inn. The kept climbing down until they came to a basement.  
  
It wasn't musty or anything, they walked through a couple of doors, a couple of hallways and so on, until they stopped at a door.  
  
Feyone turned around "Alright, ye go in there okay, and jist keep walking forward, then turn right at th'branching, Do Not turn left, it's nunna yer business yet, yer not workin' 'ere so don't go poking yer kid's nose where it don't belong. I'll juts lock this door, there's another exit the other way, this door's suppowsta be locked, go on then" She pushed her through the now open door.  
  
"Aren't you coming with me?" Shelaya asked, she was starting to get attached to this girl.  
  
"No" Feyone pushed her through and Shelaya heard the lock click.  
  
Shelaya swallowed, I hope I didn't fall stupidly into a trap. She walked very cautiously down the dimly lit corridor. She slid her retractable glaive from her back and kept it ready to flick open. Just in case  
  
She walked on, and sure enough there was two branches.  
  
Like a good little girl, Shelaya turned right, not even looking to her left. Her sense alert, she walked down that corridor, but stopped after a while. The corridor stopped, there was just solid wall, no door, nothing.  
  
She looked to the sides, nothing, up above, nothing. Hmmm she frowned  
  
She turned back, and walked back to the door that she had come in through, she pounded for Feyone, but there was no one there.  
  
"What is going on?" She whispered to herself.  
  
She walked back down to the branching and cautiously looked to the left. She could see a faint blue glow ahead, she decided to go towards it, since there was no other way.  
  
Her eyebrows high up in her hair, she walked slowly to the light.  
  
((((((((  
  
Entering a brightly lit room with a high wall, Shelaya stepped in carefully.  
  
A trap sprung, she hit the ground as fast as her legs could drop her.  
  
Three arrows whizzed over head, brushing her hair, the last arrow, eerily, cut through her one hair ribbon that held the Creation that Feyone had made. Her butt length hair unbound, plummeted and tumbled down around her face and shoulders in waves. Damn, She thought.  
  
She got up from her low crouched position and crept back again into the room. She crouched again and listened, no more traps.  
  
She thought about turning back, but her stubborn side screamed out: Hey, there is no other way out, and come on, this is fuuuuun, adventure and all, and don't you wanna see what's inside the room ??? That convinced her, she walked into the room.  
  
The room was large and airy, the ceiling very high, it was as big as an average house, a few square meters. There was a throne like chair at the far side of the room. And in the middle was a brick block pedestal, with gold paint drawn on the brick in eerie designs. She crept slowly to the pedestal, for what was on it was what had caught her attention.  
  
On the pedestal was the biggest and brightest diamond she had ever seen. It was as thick as her thigh and as long as her hand. It glittered and sparkled and caught Shelaya's attention, like a mosquito to a lantern. And from inside the diamond, lay a sapphire, as big as a good-sized rock and as round as pearls, and it shone like the sun on a bright blue day.  
  
She had never seen a jewel like this before, a jewel in a jewel.  
  
She breathed in fascination and excitement. She wanted this jewel, really badly, now.  
  
Her tongue was on the tip of her upper lip. She had forgotten all about the interview, she was concentrating, fully and absolutely on this gem, a few inches from her now reaching hands.  
  
She looked at her hands, and slapped them down. What if there was another trap? A voice of reason asked her. She looked up and gasped….  
  
There were dangerous looking knife-like spikes hanging from the ceiling, which she had overlooked before. Most definitely they were connected to the taking of the gem. The only gap in the ceiling with no spikes was above the throne and the pedestal.  
  
Voices stirred in her head  
  
Wait a minute, what happens if I do get the gem, how do I get out without no one seeing me.  
  
It's so pretty  
  
I won't need money for the rest of my life  
  
It's so pretty  
  
I'm only twelve  
  
It's so pretty  
  
How do I pull of showing this gem to society and tell them that I didn't steal it, Duh!  
  
It's so pretty  
  
She shook her head, she'd go to another country, the Bazhir, yeah, she'll go there and sell it.  
  
As soon as she said Bazhir her head screamed and she groaned, not again.  
  
A picture of her mother and her family was held in her hands, the dark beautiful skin glowed even in the drawing. Someone with talent had drawn this picture. The Bazhir people looked tough and steely and strong, and very admirable. She remembered thinking that she wanted to be like them. Her eyes roved over the picture, trying to find her mother. But she didn't know what she looked like! She tried staring at the women's faces in detail, but, the picture was much too blurry, she couldn't see the faces.  
  
Damn!  
  
She breathed and pulled herself up, her hair swung in her eyes.  
  
She wiped the sweat off her forehead.  
  
And looked back to the eye drawing jewel and, compulsively, she reached out again. Her brain was disconnected from the rest of her bodily functions momentarily.  
  
This time, she touched the jewel…  
  
And the sound of many giant slicing knives, falling down woke her up from her daze.  
  
She knew that no matter how fast she ran to either side, she'd be skewered, so she did the best thing she could.  
  
She grabbed the jewel and jumped on the pedestal.  
  
The spikes fell down and embedded themselves in the ground with a frightening thud.  
  
Still balancing her self on the pedestal, with spikes scattered in every inch of the room, as tall as herself and sharp from every angle. She heard a soft unravelling of a rope, and swoosh, she immediately crouched down and flat as she could on the small square pedestal.  
  
A three metre long, razor flew horizontally over her head, hung by a rope.  
  
She breathed, and sweated, her heart thudding so loud, that she couldn't hear her self breathe.  
  
She was scared stiff, as stiff as a kid could get, but she sucked back the tears that were threatening to drown her.  
  
Now that she thought clearly, she didn't know why she had reached, stupidly, for the gem.  
  
Crouched, she looked around, not knowing how to get out of this mess, the spikes not leaving a millimetre of ground uncovered, the knife swinging back and forth, her sweaty hair getting into her eyes.  
  
And now that she saw it, the new clothes that Lalasa had given her, she found that while she was jumping up on the pedestal, a spike had caught her left side and ripped the skirt-pants, leaving a wide gash in the material, running form her thigh to her ankle.  
  
Damn, she swore again.  
  
A whisper of metal against rock, made Shelaya jump again, then stand on all fours, a knife sharp as a needle, protruded from where the jewel had been before, threatening to impale Shelaya if she moved downwards an inch. She found that her feet were both starting to slip, because they were just balancing on the tow corners of the pedestal, on tip toe.  
  
And the one hand, which was holding the jewel, was starting to slowly slide closer to the corner, which it was resting on.  
  
The sound of diamond on rock, crumbling, scratching, Shelaya was slowly leaning closer to the knife, which was underneath her.  
  
Her heart beat, her blood ran cold and her breath caught in her throat, she pressed her lips together.  
  
She couldn't stand up, because she would be decapitated, she couldn't crouch or sit down, because she would impale her self, and she couldn't get off the square block, because she would be skewered.  
  
Somehow Shelaya found the humour in her situation and she, unbelievably, started to laugh. Big gulps that made her feet and hands slip even closer to the edges of the b lock.  
  
Her hair falling around her head and even touching the knife pointed at her belly was one of the other annoying things, that helped her chuckle even more.  
  
She wondered, this was the first real, life-threatening predicament she had been in, and she would definitely be telling her grandchildren the story.  
  
If she lived that is.  
  
What now, stay this way forever? Her thoughts ran around cluttering up her brain, which was trying to stay alive, by getting a better grip of the block underneath her.  
  
A slow clapping sound echoed through the room, one person. Clap-clap-clap- clap  
  
Shelaya looked in up mid-laugh.  
  
There, sitting on the throne, which she had vaguely looked at before, was a man.  
  
He had strawberry blond hair and light blue eyes; he leaned casually on his comfortable looking chair/throne. Shelaya predicted that he was about 35 years old, not too old. His eyes looked sharp and extremely intelligent, but his mouth couldn't stay still for a few seconds with out smiling, she could see smiles lines creasing the area around his mouth.  
  
He looked very handsome for a 35 year old.  
  
But Shelaya was nevertheless surprised, and stupidly, she tried to hide it, making her grip slipped even more from the effort.  
  
Strangely, after adjusting her grip, when she looked up at him, she did not feel in the slightest shy, like she sometimes did with strangers.  
  
Her bluntness took over.  
  
"I'd ask who you were, but I seem sharply engaged" Her wit also kicked in.  
  
The man chuckled. His fetching smile widened showing two rows of perfect, white teeth. Shelaya like white teeth, she grimaced at him through the curtain of hair on her face, she didn't know if he saw her expression, he probably didn't, couldn't even see her face  
  
She heard him click his fingers, the swooshing sound of the large knife over her head stopped, the blade pointing at her stomach retracted.  
  
She sighed with relief, assumed her crouching position, placed the jewel in front of her, and brushed the hair out of her face. His eyebrows rose a millimetre at her prettiness, she saw the slight movement, but being a child, she did not have enough vanity to take his eye brow twitching as a compliment.  
  
"So you are Shelaya." His voice, deep and soothing, made her hair stand on end and melt into her skin.  
  
"Yes." She was very frank about it too. She looked at him not moving a muscle.  
  
He looked at her, a long, long while, she looked back into his eyes. His blue eyes taking her in, her green eyes blank, showing nothing.  
  
The moment was interrupted by a rustling, like other people coming into the room, and Shelaya realised that there was door, near the throne, that she hadn't seen before.  
  
A surprised voice "Leprechaun?"  
  
Shelaya looked up to see the lapis lazuli eye owner drinking her in with those blue, blue eyes. Her eyebrows rose  
  
"What are you doing here?" She blurted. A pause, and then the mirth and derisiveness crept into Shelaya's eyes as she remembered what had happened between them before, she saw him reading her expression and he had the decency to look away embarrassed.  
  
She let go a small snigger.  
  
"What are you?" He asked her back after regaining his cool.  
  
"I'm here to get a job, but sorta got stuck looking for the interviewing room."  
  
The man on the throne barked with laughter.  
  
And Shelaya couldn't for the life of her understand why he was sitting on the throne.  
  
"So," she said in conversational tones as she sat cross-legged on the block. "Who are you? What am I doing here? What is this? What is going on? And why are you on the throne? Why is that guy here, the one that tried to steal my dagger? What sort of job am I so eager to get into? Why am I so ignorant while everybody else knows everything?"  
  
The man on the throne was smirking now, he held up a hand to silence her absolute boldness "You're hired" Quite frank.  
  
Shelaya blinked "Okaaaaaaayyyyy" Her eyebrows rose again. 


	9. Hair n' Fleece

Chapter 9  
  
"So tell me again why I'm here and what job I'd just been hired into" Shelaya was once again in her room with Feyone brushing her Red silk hair.  
  
"th'note you'd been given was from the Old King o' thieves. George Cooper himself, the stamp was on it. And he must thinks yer good at something to 'ave sent you 'ere. Now afore ye'd come t'us, George cooper 'imself 'ad given the King o' thieves a visit, and 'e explained yer position."  
  
"But why didn't George just take me to you instead of putting me through that test? If your king knew about me, why all the knives and everything" Shelaya asked interested.  
  
"Ye see, the New king o' Thieves likes t'know what sort of recruits and wokers 'e'll be 'avin' see? He likes t'put them in a test, t'see if'they're up to thief material or not. You showed 'im that ye were good, and ye wouldn't pass up the chance of getting somehting' pretty eh?" the bigger girl winked at Shelaya. "T'put it simply child, ye're a promsiin' thief, y'don't 'ave a home, we were told, y'needed a job and a life and we understand yer predicament. So until y're better, and can remember everyhtin' y'can live with us and earn a livelihood see? "  
  
There was a a pause and Feyone asked Shelaya a question which had been buggin her mind "What I want to know child is this… with most people, when they think of thieves they think of bad people, people who 'ave no right to live. And if we were to propose this idea to any child or person who had lived in a proper home for most of 'is life, they'd shun th'idea and try t'tell the lord Provost 'bout us. So why aren't ye disgusted by the Court of th'Rogue, ye've got a home I can tell, ye're not hungry or pale or sick, so yer probably a lost noble. Why aren't you rejectin' the idea of bein a thief yerslef ?"  
  
Shelaya looked up at Feyone quietly "I was taught once, I think by my mother whom I don't remember, that everyone needs a livelihood, and no matter what it is, I need to respect it, because someday, I might need that sort of employment to get some bread into my stomach. I was also taught to except things as they are, and not to ask too many question, so that's why I'm dealing with this. In life, you have to deal or die"  
  
Feyone smiled "Why, aren't you a child prodigy…"  
  
Shelaya froze. "Speaking of which," She began "Who was that boy with the blue eyes, the one that was next to the King?"  
  
Feyone sighed "Oh, him? Yeah, isn't he handsome" Her face lost the concentrated look and her eyes flew off into space "He's so dreamy an' 'e's my age too, oh 'ow I wish he would court me. Hmmmmmm" She clutched the hair brush to her chest and lay down on the bed.  
  
Shelaya's eyebrow rose. "Uh Feyone?" She looked down at presumably day- dreaming girl "What's his name"  
  
She murmured something.  
  
"What?" Shelaya placed her ear's close to Feyone's mouth.  
  
Feyone murmured again  
  
"Hair and Fleece?!?!" Shelaya jumped up.  
  
"Noooooo" Feyone laughed. "Haer'Dalis"  
  
(A/N: Said HARE-dah-leece, taken from a character in Baldur's Gate, I disclaim the name, not mine, it belongs to Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, Bioware, Black Isle and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Rpgames)  
  
"But everyone calls him Haer, cause he's quick as a hare in anything" She giggled.  
  
"Oh" So that was Lapis Lazuli's name, Haer'Dalis, huh? And now instead of him stealing from me, I'll be doing the same thing he does. Hmmm… Haer'Dalis. I think I like Dalis better than Haer. Haer makes him sound like an animal. 


	10. Apples

Chapter 10  
  
  
  
"'Allo lass, come t'pay yer dear old friend a visit ey? 'Ow abou' a kiss"  
  
Shelaya looked up and gave the round faced man a wink "You old romantic, you" She smirked slightly and leaned over the stall to place a soft kiss on his ruddy face. She gave a low chuckle as she settled back on her heels, slowly eyeing the glossy apples piled up before her.  
  
Her long time friend, fruit stall owner and information gatherer, Dale (whom everyone younger than him called 'Uncle Dale') smiled at her and asked how things were going.  
  
Watching him, watching her, she slinkily picked up a gloriously red apple and took a juicy bite out of it. "Mmmm…..so and so." She told him her mouth full.  
  
"And how are the Young'Uns?"  
  
"We're all wonderful, having the time of our lives…the rules have loosened up since King Jon travelled for a stay in Carthak and left his wife in command. The Queen's pretty an'all, but I guess King Jon never really told her about the tight holds he has on the Court…business is booming…his Highness 'with the white teeth' decided to let the Young 'Uns have a little fun…we're spread all over the city…you know you can find great deals on the outskirts of the city." The last she told him, earnestly nodding her head and finishing off her apple.  
  
Uncle Dale, who was a thief before he started to go too soft around the middle, nodded, understanding that the King of Thieves was relaxing a bit after many deals made to help the Court of the Rogue's economy.  
  
Placing her hands deep in her pockets (which were pretty deep, mainly because of her occupation) Shelaya rocked back and forth on her feet and smiled sideways at Uncle Dale from beneath her 'lucky cap' (which was called 'Hideous' by the way).  
  
"Those apples are really delicious Uncle Dale, I know a lot of people who would enjoy them." She widened her emerald eyes to look even more innocent.  
  
The round man chuckled deeply "Go on then" He shooed at her "Looks like I'll be giving m'food fer free now"  
  
Shelaya picked up the biggest and shiniest apples she could find and quickly stuffed them in her pockets. She could only carry three in each pocket.  
  
She turned back to the jolly man and gave him another kiss "You're a peach Uncle Dale" And she ran off waving at him, and then disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Uncle Dale chucked softly "I am not a peach, I just sell them" and turned back to his work.  
  
  
  
Hindered with six apples, Shelaya looked very odd from behind. Her blood red hair peaked from underneath Hideous, she and tried to tie it up as tight as she could…one day she'd get down to cutting the whole lot off, she thought determinedly… since red hair was so noticeable, especially that shade…and in her profession… being noticed was not something to boast about.  
  
Until that day came, her lovely Hideous would cover it up.  
  
"Now where would I find 'the Young 'Uns at this time of day" She murmured to herself.  
  
"Well some of them are at the 'Dove and the others are on The Rooftop or walking 'round the market" A deep voice murmured in her ear.  
  
Trained for five years now, Shelaya should have been able to not jump, and maybe she wouldn't have if the person talking was not Haer'Dalis. But to give her credit, her jump was no more than a slight lifting of her shoulders.  
  
Her cheeks slightly flushed, she kept walking, ignoring the fact that 'Dalis was there.  
  
"My…aren't we feeling professional today." The voice mocked in her ear.  
  
"No…I just feel like verbally sparring" Shelaya hit back.  
  
She felt him reach in her pocket and pluck out a single apple. She let him.  
  
"Well…. aren't you going to say "Welcome back Haer!!" like all the other ladies do…mmm…this is a nice apple." He crunched on as he waited for her reply.  
  
"Welcome back Haer" She muttered as if it was no biggy, though she was feeling other wise.  
  
"Ooooh…that hurt"  
  
She turned around to see the twenty-three year old man acting like a child and clutching his heart as if it were broken.  
  
She smiled "You're full of yourself 'Lis." She continued to walk shaking her head.  
  
"Yes…I am, aren't I Leprechaun?" He teased her with her childhood name.  
  
"Aye, ye are matey and yer abou' t'burst too" She rolled her 'r's with the thick accent. She looked at him from beneath Hideous and wagged her eyebrows.  
  
He burst out laughing and followed her as she entered the Dancing Dove.  
  
"Did you hear about the Rogue Ball next week?" He enquired, still munching at her ear.  
  
"Did I ever…that's the only thing Feyone and the girls talk about."  
  
"Mmm…yes those delicious girls," He munched down dreamily on his apple, then shook his head to clear it of cobwebs "But didn't father give you that assignment?"  
  
"Yes" She sighed "I leave on the night of the ball, so I'm gonna miss half of it…oh well…it's not as if I'm going to have any fun anyway…His Majesty is making me Rogue Knife for half the night." She groaned as she nimbly jogged up the steps of the Dove leading to the buildings rooftop  
  
"Rogue Knife? But you're just a kid…" He looked at her incredulously as she opened the metal door leading to the roof.  
  
She paused and span around "I am NOT a kid any more Haer'Dalis"  
  
He paused for a few minutes, the setting sun gently bathing his face an orangeish colour. His deep blue eyes looked at Shelaya who was turned away from the sun, Hideous leaving her face in shadows, only her emerald eyes glowed from the darkness.  
  
He bent low, closer to her face, examining the face underneath the shadows.  
  
He deftly grabbed the tip of Hideous and pulled it off her head.  
  
Her hair, which she had tucked in furiously after it had refused to be tied up in a band, tumbled down her back in fiery waves. Her eyes widened in surprise, then fury as she reached for her cap.  
  
Dalis neatly danced back, holding Hideous high up in the air. When he stopped abruptly, she stopped too in surprise.  
  
"Well I'll be," He stared at her, scratching his soft black hair "I think you're right Leprechaun" His sensual lips parted in new wonder.  
  
  
  
Shelaya's cheeks warmed in one wave of embarrassment. "Hideous" She whispered.  
  
"Pardon?" he murmured.  
  
"Hideous" She repeated, still watching him, watching her.  
  
He finally snapped out of it and looked with puzzlement "Hideous?"  
  
She gestured at her cap, still blushing.  
  
"Oh…right…Hideous" He handed her cap back with raised eyebrows "You're weird."  
  
"I agree." Her sarcastic voice was back, as she slammed her cap on her head and attempted to tuck in her hair again.  
  
"Here, let me"  
  
She felt gentle hands take Hideous off her head again. They softly stroked her hair and collected it in one place. She felt the hands gently twist her long hair, twisting, and twisting and then rolled it up in itself in a bun and then quickly and precisely put Hideous back on so as not to lose the bun. Strangely, her hair stayed.  
  
"Thank you" She whispered, not sure of herself.  
  
"No worries" He breathed on her neck.  
  
She shivered…then heard a whistle.  
  
She looked up.  
  
"Shelaya, love, I sees somethin' in yer pockets, y'gonna share it sweet cheeks?" A sly and highly accented, cheeky adolescent voice was heard.  
  
Shelaya put her hands in her pockets and stroll slowly to the pergola, where three of the Young 'Uns where showing their days conquests and treasures. "Mmmm….might." She told them evasively.  
  
"Come on love, be a sport, let us see."  
  
She looked at the person talking. Binx. He was a year older than Shelaya, deeply street accented and had an absolutely roguish charmer. He could charm the hooves of a mule, and funnily enough, his common accent didn't put any of the ladies off. There was nothing striking about him, with the common brown hair and brown eyes…though he was nicely built for an eighteen year old. And his temperament was all fun and charm. He was one of the Rogue's best spies, because of his charming personality. He was one of Shelaya's favourites.  
  
Next to him were Senia and Goliath. Senia was a slight brunette with a pretty mouth, a pretty nose and pretty blue eyes. She was very closed in, but she was a master pickpocket, never noticed or ever suspected. Goliath was a sinewy thief. Like Shelaya he was mostly on the field, doing assignments for big burglaries. It was mainly his flexibility that allowed him to be on Field. His dark brooding eyes looked up at Shelaya, with unaccustomed merriment. His short braided hair under a bandana, and his sweetly brown skin gave off a feeling of danger. They were both around Dalis' age and friends of Shelaya. The Young 'Uns were all good friends, hence the Grouping.  
  
Shelaya bit her bottom lip in a smile. "Alright" She grabbed an apple and let it slide from her shoulder down erh amr and then pushed it in the air when it reached her elbow (A/N: anyone every watched Aladdin? Kinda like when he gave the apple to Jasmine).  
  
Binx caught "Mmmm, you beauty. Y'deserve a kiss, love. I was feelin' a bit peckish m'self."  
  
She threw one to Senia and another to Goliath. She took out another one to eat herself.  
  
Dalis poked the last apple visible in her pocket "Are you gonna eat that?"  
  
"No, I'm giving it to Feyone" she told him firmly.  
  
He stuck his bottom lip out.  
  
She stuck out her tongue.  
  
"So tell me," He began casually "Are you sure you're up for it."  
  
"Yes." Still thoroughly munching.  
  
"Up for what?" Senia's gentle voice said.  
  
"Leprechaun here is going to be the Rogue's Knife at the Rogue Ball next week…" He nonchalantly said.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"You're too young."  
  
"What's a Rogue's Knife?" 


	11. Invitation

(A/N: I've already done my disclaimer…..so if u want it…it's on the first chapter… and I wanna say a BIG thankyou to every one who's reviewed…Thankyou sooo much…*showers everyone with red roses*…thankyou very much…and don't worry… there will be PotS people and I will explain what a Rogue Knife is.  
  
Just a time reminder, Shelaya is two years younger than Kel, when she reached Corus before she became the thief, that was the year Kel started being a squire, so …five years later, this Kel's first year as a Lady Knight.)  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The next day  
  
  
  
Binx and Shelaya got of their horses and handed them to the stable boy who was waiting for the horses reins hands outstretched. Before the horses left they both grabbed their saddle rolls and hung them on their shoulders by the straps.  
  
Binx stretched his arms over his head as he watched the boy take the horses into the stable "Aaaaaaaahh…that was some ride. 'aven't been on a 'orse fer ages…"  
  
"Mmmmmmm" Shelaya nodded absently as she patted her clothes in place and rubbed her perfectly cut breeches of dust.  
  
  
  
"Shelaya, love, ye look fine, My Lord Baron and My Lady Lioness will be impressed. And not because of yer clothes, but of yer fine status" Binx could feel Shelaya's unease, which was something new, she was usually sarcastically blunt.  
  
"Let's go wash up 'fore m'lord and lady meet us alright love?"  
  
"Mmhmmm" Still patting her clothes she followed Binx up to the Castle. As they ahd entered the Fortress with three towers, Shelaya had noted that the fortress's wall were quite thick. Good defence, she had thought.  
  
  
  
Being ushered into the Castle by two maids who kept muttering that "My Lord is expecting you My Lady" though they looked at Hideous, who was looking very dusty, with a small sneer on their faces. She saw them looking her up and down, seeing her dusty clothes and he shoes that were not in good condition, and Hideous which covered her beautiful hair, which ofcourse they could not see at the moment. So they simply lead Binx and Shelaya to their quarters to clean up, and left muttering to each other about how dirty the girl was, ready to spread it to the kitchens.  
  
  
  
Going to an immaculate room, Shelaya knew that Pirate's Swoop was not empty, as usual. In her previous visits there were always scores of visitors or students or pages or squires or guests. The castle was always full of hustle and bustle. Today was another day. She hoped she would catch The Baron and The Lioness alone to talk to them.  
  
A small room joined to this one showed a privy and a deep tub where she could bathe, the water was already full and foaming. Quickly, she stripped her clothes, placed her knives and golden dagger on the side, she immersed herself in the hot water.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, she was scrubbed clean and shiny and her beautiful tanned face glowed. The brushed her hair with a comb from her saddle roll, and braided it neatly down her back in one long pony tail (A/N: think a red headed Lara Croft). A few hair clips held her hair in place.  
  
Putting on some custom made clothes, ones which her dear friend Lalasa had made. She looked at herself in a mirror.  
  
Her clean cut breeches were a deep green velvet reaching only her scrumptious hips, her tunic which was also a deep green velvet, clung deliciously to her seventeen-year-old curves , it stopped short, a new style, only reaching her belly button. Her undershirt was made of a lighter green stretchy cotton which hugged her leanly muscled arms. Leaving her muscular abdomen bare. She was dressed very richly for a thief.  
  
Her belt of throwing knives did not go around her calves, but this time around her upper thighs. Her beautiful golden dagger set with numerous stones which she used on occasion was hung on a priceless thin green leather belt covered with emerald and rubies. It was really long, long enough to tie twice around. She had gotten it as a present from Feyone. She usually let it hang loose on her hips. This time she tied it tight around her bare stomach. The jewels glinted in the light. The second wrap was loose on her hips, the dagger hung on the loose wrap.  
  
The now cleaned Hideous, sat jauntily on her head, hiding half her face in shadows.  
  
She looked very much dangerous. And like a leprechaun, she crinkled her nose in disgust.  
  
Picking a parchment from her saddle roll, she marched out of the room.  
  
  
  
Binx was waiting out side her room with wet hair slicked back, cleaning his nails with a small dagger. He whistled as he looked her up and down. Lingering on her curves. "Shelaya love, you look almost… mature"  
  
She gave him a bored look, back to her normal self, and said "Come on Binx, we got job to do, and I happen to want to do it well, so if you please…watch my back."  
  
"As you say, cap'n, love" he winked at her as the dagger promptly disappeared from his fingers.  
  
The two walked up a flight of stairs which led to the Baron's office. They listened briefly, there was one more person than needed. She grabbed Hideous from her head and clutched him in her left hand. Flattening runaway hairs with her other hand.  
  
Shelaya sharply knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in" a rich voice was heard.  
  
Keeping her face absolutely still, and looking for exits and danger, Shelaya stepped into the room, followed by Binx.  
  
There three people where in the room. The Baron George Cooper, and the one who saved her future sitting, with laughing eyes, on his desk. The Lady Alanna, The King's Champion and the Lioness. And a third woman with brown light hair and hazel-green eyes, actually it was more like a young woman, she didn't look that much older than Shelaya herself, though she was rather tall and strong looking. She was dressed in a normal tunic and breeches and was carrying a sword in its scabbard.  
  
She heard Binx sidle closer to Shelaya's back. He whispered so softly no one could have heard it except herself "Sir Keladry of Mindelan, the Legendary second Lady Knight, who did it with pure muscle and stubbornness."  
  
She gave a small nod to show she had heard.  
  
She came closer in the office. She didn't know if Lady Keladry was to be trusted. She gave small bowing of her head, hands gripping Hideous behind her back. "My Lord Baron, My Lady Knights" She emphasised the 's', to show that she knew what Keladry's status was. She felt the air shift.  
  
George chuckled softly "At ease soldier, Kel's t'be trusted."  
  
She gave George a small smile, gave Kel a look that lasted a few seconds and swiped Hideous through the air and sat him on her head.  
  
She heard Alanna softly murmur to Keladry "It means she trusts you."  
  
"Mmm, that's nice..uh…who is she." Keladry murmured back.  
  
Binx stepped forward "May I introduce to you, My Lady" Looking at Keladry with that awfully familiar look, the one that said here was another conquest to be made "Shelaya and Hideous"  
  
  
  
"You're name's Hideous?" Keladry looked slightly horrified.  
  
Binx chuckled "No my Lady, that" He said pointing at Hideous "Is Hideous, my name is Binx."  
  
"Binx…uh..is that all?."  
  
"Don't ask last names Kel" This coming from Alanna "It's something awkward in their society"  
  
"What society-"  
  
"My Lord…" Shelaya interrupted, looking very uncomfortable, as if she wanted to blurt something out.  
  
"Go on Shelaya, we'll have introductories later" he told her gently, knowing she wanted to get the job done.  
  
She unrolled the parchment in her hand " My Lord, Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop, and My Lady Alanna of Olua and Trebond, King's Champion and Lioness. On behalf of the King of Thieves and the Court Of the Rogue, the Rogue's Knife cordially invites you to the Rogue's Ball this time next week. My Lord and My Lady may bring one guest along, as long as they are to be trusted with the thief's secret. May the Gods and Goddesses Bless You."  
  
She rolled the parchment again. "Will you accept?"  
  
"'course we will , Alanna ye'll come won't ye?" George looked up to his beloved who was sitting on his desk.  
  
"Why not, it's bound to be an experience. Why didn't you ever hold Rogue Balls?" She asked him  
  
"I did, ye were just never invited." He smirked at her  
  
"Why not?!"  
  
"Well, lady-me-love, ye were either a boy, or you weren't there at all." He shrugged.  
  
She gave him a sideways glance. She looked up at Shelaya "It's all right dear, relax, Kel is absolutely trustworthy, come one, take a seat and tell us how you've been, you too Binx."  
  
Shelaya shrugged "Might as well, now that my job's done" She plonked herself onto a soft looking arm chair.  
  
Binx followed suit.  
  
Keladry was by now thinking: thieves? With her mental eyebrows raised, she had known that George Cooper was the part of a thieves group before, but she didn't know he still was connected to them. She was rather interested, but knew that it was rude to listen when she wasn't really wanted. So she firmly excused herself, not listening to their apology filled protests and left the room.  
  
George was looking intently at Shelaya. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Rogue Knife ey?"  
  
  
  
  
  
(A/N: groan yeah I know….not that again…hehheh. You'll soon find out…and don't worry we haven't seen the last of Keladry.) 


	12. Gettin' to know you

Chapter 12  
  
  
  
After all those messy 'how have you been dear's?' and 'what's going on in the Court's?' finished, Shelaya left Binx to tell George and Alanna the news and went out to re-discover Pirate's Swoop.  
  
She sighed as she walked along the stone corridors. She knew Pirate's Swoop very well. Ever since George had helped her with her job ( they had met up a few months later) Shelaya had gone for regular visits, it was almost like a second home, besides the Court.  
  
She did not know what Alanna and George had told the Baron Sir Myles, but ever since that day, she had never seen him again, even if it was by accident. She figured that he had forgotten her, which was good since she didn't need complications.  
  
Clasping her hands behind her back, walking with a bounce to her step (which was something automatic now, it helped her move in any direction quickly), Shelaya breathed in the fresh seawater breeze through the many windows of the corridor that lit the place.  
  
Climbing up a flight of stairs, she reached the observation deck, though it wasn't quite as empty as she had wished.  
  
Leaning on the wall and looking out to the sea, was Sir Keladry, who looked extremely lonely.  
  
Shelaya suddenly felt enormously charitable and softly walked up to the knight, leaned on the wall next to her and took a deep breathe.  
  
"The air's nice isn't it, my Lady?" She softly commented. Giving Keladry a sideways glance.  
  
"Don't call me that, it's Kel, and yes, the air's nice." Kel gave her an answer with a voice just as soft. Shelaya looked at her again, her face was as smooth as stone, but her eyes were troubled waters.  
  
"Troubles?"  
  
"Yes, but you need not try comforting me, I'm fine." Kel told her bluntly.  
  
Slightly indignant, Shelaya spun around and leaned on the wall, her back to the sea, facing Shelaya.  
  
"Ehem, just because you're a knight doesn't mean you've lost all feeling. You're tough alright," Shelaya ran her eyes over Kel's muscular arms, "But, you're still a woman with emotions, no difference."  
  
Kel straightened up and looked into Shelaya's eyes, which were partly in shadow. Her eyes ran down Shelaya's length ending at her feet and then back. "I see Lalasa has been making your clothes."  
  
Shelaya felt a slight popping in the air, and a feeling of release. Her eye's creased with laughter and twinkled.  
  
"She's told me a lot about you," She didn't add that she never knew what Kel looked like until she had seen her in the office. "You're very well known, you know that, there're lots of girls who talk about you in the streets, wanting to be like you."  
  
Kel leaned again on the wall and sighed, "Yes, but not exactly, my life wasn't as easy as it looks, hard work was my mantra."  
  
Shelaya raised her eyebrows though it wasn't seen "Of course, you don't gain muscles like that in a day." She was very envious of Kel's muscles, and she told her so.  
  
Kel laughed and they both lapsed into an easy silence.  
  
"So were your parents thieves as well or…?"  
  
"Hardly." Shelaya chuckled. "I don't even know my parents, and I think I can safely say that they were not thieves."  
  
Kel looked at her quizzically.  
  
"Are you sure you want to know my life story?" Shelaya asked her, slightly grimacing.  
  
"Do you trust me enough to tell it to me?" Kel shot back.  
  
Shelaya chuckled "Now you're what I call a good 'verbal sparring partner'"  
  
Kel smiled, obviously knowing what she meant, since her once-upon-a-time page sponsor happened to be a Nealan of Queenscove. King of Argument.  
  
So Shelaya began her tale, or what she knew of it, it really began when she first came to Corus and she explained all the bits that weren't important, and Keladry listened, sometimes with eyes wide open, sometimes with great interest and sometimes with pity.  
  
And when she had finished, the two young ladies were seated on two chairs looking out at the sunset that was viewed from the perfectly positioned observation deck.  
  
Kel sat back and commented absently. "Well, you've certainly had a full life."  
  
"So…what ails you?" Shelaya still wanting to know what was wrong with the great Lady Knight.  
  
" I guess I can trust you." Kel felt a great surge of liking to this girl, as if she was no stranger, like she had known her all her life. "It's…a tale that has happened to many women around the world, throughout the ages…the missing of one's love." And Kel proceeded to tell her how she felt, there were a lot of "I miss him's" in the telling, and many "I hope he's okay's", there were numerous "I love him so much's" and "I wish I could see him again's".  
  
Kel's Yamani calm was slowly disintegrating, until her eyes welled up with tears.  
  
She gulped, and quickly pulled back with the tears.  
  
"Cleon of Kennan" Shelaya said, for absolutely no reason. "So…he's as nice as they say he is." And for another absolutely no reason: "My friend picked his pocket once, not oozing with money that one."  
  
Kel looked up with her and gave her a wavery smile, not at all angry with the thievery, since that was her job. "No, he isn't…I hoped he's doing okay, he wants to get enough money to…" She bit her lip.  
  
"…Get married?" Shelaya asked her.  
  
Kel just nodded her head "I don't want to go into it" She managed with a whisper.  
  
"My lips are sealed Lady Knight," She told her with an extravagant bow and sweeping Hideous off her head.  
  
Kel chuckled, feeling much better.  
  
Her eyes suddenly lit up with interest. "So, tell me, what's a Rogue's Knife?"  
  
(A/N: Should I leave it at that? - Naw…I feel sorry for all of you…I'll keep goin')  
  
Shelaya opened her lips to speak-  
  
"-Let me explain m'Lady, Shelaya 'ere is much too modest an'won't give credit were it's due."  
  
The two women scrambled to their feet, though Shelaya was already up at the voice's first syllable.  
  
"Binx! That was quite rude" She gave him one of her brooding stares, that usually scared people.  
  
He put his hands up in surrender "No need t'kill me Shelaya, love, I just 'rrived when m'Lady 'ere asked what a Rogue's Knife was," He flashed Shelaya a melting smile and focused his attention on Kel. He grabbed a nearby stool, motioned for them both to sit and sat himself down.  
  
"Ye see m'wonderous Lady Knight, our red-'eaded Shelaya 'ere is a prize fer the king 'imslef. A Rogue's Knife, is basically th'king o'thieve's bodyguard on (ye may call 'em) 'Special Occasions'.  
  
"Now wha' a Rogue Knife actually does, (since they're so honoured), is stand on th'King's right 'and side, and no other safety fer th'king may stand close. Th'Rogeu Knife's suppowsta be absolu'ely 'th'best'.  
  
"The reason fer the Rogue Knife is, on these special occasions, th'King is not suppowsta show disrespect t'th'other guests by 'oldin' a knife in 'is 'and and watchin' every other person to see if they're dangerous or spies. So th'Rogue Knife is actually an extension of the King 'imslef, 'e is trusted by th'Rogue with th' King's life.  
  
"That's th'grea'est honour in th'Cour' of The Rogue, because ye see, unlike normal royalty, th'King doesn't need bodyguards t'stand around him, 'e can look after 'imself, an'because of the rarety of needing bodyguards, everyun s'wishing t'be th' Rogue Knife and protect th' King.  
  
"There's also another vain reason fer th'Rogue Knife. Th'King likes to show 'is visitors that 'is people are perfect. So the Rogue Knife is also there t'show off, when the King tell's him…er… her to. They're like peacocks, offcourse the showin'-off is more like showin' 'er skills an'all, if ye get m'drift.  
  
"Th' Rogue Knife was introduced after th' "Retired George Cooper" left. I don't know why though, all I know is tha' only th' best ca'look after the Rogue. There 'ave never been any girl Rogue Knives, because men are usually be'er, with their muscle an'all, and there were never really tha' many girls on Field. So , it's a big honour on Shelaya, it's like th' 'quivalent of bein' th'Lioness fer a day, but be'er, 'cause there's no one else guardin' th'King but ye. It's nerve wrackin', but I reckon 'tis absolu'ely fun." He sat back smiling.  
  
Shelaya was watching the sun creeping down to the horizon "Thanks for the documentary Binx."  
  
But Kel was absolutely interested. "So, what's the occasion?"  
  
"Th'Rogue Ball o' course"  
  
"But then, if she's so important, why has she come here shouldn't she be getting ready or something."  
  
"Ah well….Shelaya 'ere was feelin' very restless, so th'King sent her on this errand, t'invite My Lord Baron the Retired George Cooper." He grinned at Shelaya.  
  
There was a line between her eyebrows.  
  
"What's wrong lass?"  
  
She turned to both of them. "Mika was speaking to me yesterday. He heard through the grapevine, that…that...My Lord was inviting The Raven to the Ball."  
  
Binx sat up straighter "That's poppycock! And what would Mika know, 'e's a second rate gatherer!"  
  
"What?" Kel mumbled, knowing that she'd be ignored.  
  
Binx turned to her slightly and muttered from the side of his mouth "Information gatherer, m'lady, Mika's an information gatherer, information gatherer's are a cousin to spies… not strictly speaking."  
  
"No, I heard it from other's too, and they're letting a few Free Thieves in too, to get them back on the Court's side." She chewed her bottom lip. "I know there's going to be an attack, I know it, though I'm not sure I'll be enough to hold them off. And you know that no ones allowed weapons in the room, so that visitors are not offended, no one's going to be able to help me."  
  
(A/N: 'The Raven' and the 'Free thieves' are not going to be explained in the story line, because it takes so long, so at the beginning of the next chapter I'll put in a brief summary of what and who each is. In the story itself, I'll probably just say that Shelaya told Kel what they were.)  
  
"You'll do fine, love, let's not worry m'Lady Knight 'ere about thief problems." He glanced at Kel who was trying to follow their conversation. "We shouldn't worry 'er at all"  
  
When she tried to protest that she wasn't worried, Binx grabbed her arm and put it in the crook of his "M'lady, 'tis time to sup, allow me to escort ye to yer room t'dress and meet us down stairs."  
  
Kel smiled gently, he offered his other arm to Shelaya who shook her head.  
  
"I'll watch your backs," She told him with a smirk. He had the decency to blush. When Kel asked why he did so, he replied by telling her that it was really his job to watch Shelaya's back.  
  
As they walked out of the observation deck. Shelaya said brightly "No worries, old chap"  
  
They reached Shelaya's rooms first, she turned and grabbed Kel's arm, holding both her hands around Kel's right forearm, and Kel did the same. The looked into each other's eyes as if saying: well met, friend. Both sets of eyes crinkled around the edges.  
  
Just as Shelaya walked into her room Binx managed to slip a comment "Dress nicely Shelaya, Pirate's Swoop has many guests t'night, mayhap ye can catch yerslef a nice old chap."  
  
Kel chuckled softly "Oh, he got you there"  
  
She closed the door in their laughing faces, good-humouredly, and heard Binx roaring with laughter outside "And don't wear Hideous"  
  
"Why not?" She murmured with a smirk.  
  
(((((((((((((((((  
  
( A/N: Mmmmm….I think I'm gonna call my hat Hideous...heheheh...Once again thank you everyone for those sweet reviews that let you keep goin' if not for yourself, then for the ones who want it. Thankyou *roses shower everyone*. You're all so damn sweet….*begins to break down and cry* 'thankyou' *is led away crying and clutching her Oscar lady*.Silence.  
  
*Turns around and laughs wickedly at the sympathetic audience* "Mwehuhahahahahahahhahahahahha". You know, it's a miracle that I wrote such a sober chapter when I'm so incredibly hyper…=P) 


	13. Dinner

( A/N:Just as I promised…definitions for those who want them…  
  
The Raven: Basically, is the King of Thieves for the outer Region's of Tortall. Control's Scanra, Galla, Tusaine etc. and is hoping to gain the main capital: Tortall. Of course Tortall is ruled by Seldoon (haha, that's his name), which means that even with all the other countries under The Raven's thumb, The Raven is still not powerful enough. Another major point is that The Raven, is a woman. So it's a battle of being top dog and top thieves. BTW, she likes to call herself the King of Thieves; she believes that Queen makes her sound like a co-ruler.  
  
The Free Thieves: These are basically a gang of thieves that have broken away from the Loyalty of Seldoon and are running amok. They are not following the code of honour for thieves, for example: they steal from the poor and hungry and little children and old ladies. They're down right unchivalrous. So the Court is trying to stop them and restore peace in the land. Because of these 'Free Thieves' many of Seldoon's deals have been broken because the dealers don't trust thieves anymore. This is bad for Seldoon's economy.  
  
I made this group up, and have an RPG running for just thief characters, with Free thieves included. Any one interested? The club is at yahoo clubs and it's called :The Court of the Rogue. For more information…contact jeporra…hehhe at jeporra@yahoo.com.au. Don't forget the 'au'. I'm an Aussie and damn proud of it.)  
  
Chapter 13  
  
  
  
Six days later  
  
Parisha Cartwill (A/N: If everyone can still remember, Shelaya's Bazhir mother) was visiting her friend George Cooper at Pirate's Swoop for a few days; this was her first day here.  
  
She had left her husband and sons behind in their home in the small rich village, and had travelled alone to the castle.  
  
Right now Parisha, who was a good looking middle-aged woman, was watching her sad emerald eyes twinkle for the first time in five years (in the mirror). She felt suddenly lighter and happier after the death of her only daughter Shelaya.  
  
Her eyes glazed over remembering the past:  
  
The Cartwill's had returned from their holiday in Galla and were all laughing and stumbling into their home, throwing saddle rolls and such around. They had at least a few minutes rest, when someone stumbled into their home. He was wide-eyed and pale "My Lord and Lady, I've followed you across the whole earth, but you were always days before me and," He gasped, trying to breathe, " now that I've…My Lord, My lady…the escort to the palace never made it, they were all killed"  
  
Parisha remember her legs suddenly weakening and her throat closing up, and the rush of blood in her ears, she also remembered grabbing the man and shaking him: "What do you mean, 'never made it'?"  
  
He had told them about the ambush, between gulps of air, about how the bandits had killed everyone and how he had run off just in time. He told them of Lord Migeal screaming at Shelaya to get away, when Parisha interrupted him: "My baby!" with a gasp "Is she alive?" She had screamed into his face.  
  
The man had then collapsed on the ground, his head bent, saying in a choked voice "There was no chance for her, I'm so sorry my Lady, I heard her scream, and then there was no more."  
  
"Are you sure?" Lord Zeen had asked him, his voice slightly trembling.  
  
The escort looked up, eyes filled with tears," My Lord, I'm afraid that my Lady Shelaya is dead." and he broke down and began to cry.  
  
Parisha blinked back tears, trying to forget what had happened after that, five years ago, trying to forget how she had screamed and smashed expensive vases and wrecked the house. How neither her husband nor her sons had even lifted a finger to stop her, how they all just watched her rant with tears dripping down their faces. She remembered wailing in Bazhir, scaring the escort out of the house. And she remembered waking up the next day, voiceless, her throat screamed dry. The sadness followed her for the rest of her days, her emerald eyes, which her daughter had inherited, dulled out.  
  
Until now that is.  
  
Parisha turned away from the mirror, swiped her hands down the light sand- coloured dress and robe she wore. Tonight she felt, at ease, as if something good was going to happen.  
  
Fingering her ear-bobs, Parisha went down to dinner.  
  
(((((((((((((((((((  
  
Kel dressed in her hazel-green silk tunic that reached mid thigh, also walked down the corridors to dinner. Though she stopped at one door, and knocked.  
  
It swung open. "I'm coming" A voice drawled.  
  
A tall, lean and fair-skinned man stepped out, dressed in a rich mahogany out-fit. One of his green-eyes winked at Kel. "How's my hair?"  
  
She took a glance at his light brown that swept back from a widow's peak, patted a hair into place, and began walking "It's fine Neal, come on, we're gonna miss dinner, it's very formal tonight, there're lots of people here." She looked back to see if he followed. "And plus, there's someone I want you to meet." Neal had arrived at Pirate's Swoop the day before, and hadn't actually met Shelaya yet.  
  
"Oh really?" He asked as they both entered the dining hall, where people were already seated around an extremely long rectangular table. "Is it a he or a she?"  
  
"She." She told him firmly as she walked towards Alanna who was waving them over, to sit near her and George.  
  
Neal made a very interested noise.  
  
As the two sat down Alanna waved to another woman who was seated next to George. "I want to introduce to you someone very interesting."  
  
"More introductions?" Neal murmured into Kel's ear, he reached for the butter.  
  
"Kel, Neal, I'd like you to meet Lady Parisha Cartwill, wife of Lord Zeen Cartwill. Lady Cartwill, this is Sir Keladry of Mindelan and Sir Nealan of Queenscove."  
  
Neal's mouth was dropping open "The Lady Cartwill, author of around Tortall in 20 days?"  
  
Lady Parisha smiled an affirmative.  
  
Neal stood up and walked around the table to where she was seated, he grabbed her hand "My Lady, without your knowledge, I wouldn't have been able to get anywhere" He gave her hand a luscious kiss, and looked up adoring at her dark pretty face.  
  
Parisha chuckled and kissed him on the cheek. "It's nice to have adoring fans."  
  
He went back to his seat.  
  
Parisha turned to Kel, and gave a searching stare.  
  
Kel looked back at her, a thought in the back of her mind saying: I know those eyes.  
  
But it flitted away when Parisha suddenly bombarded her with questions about her Knighthood and what she had to go through to become a knight. By the middle of the meal, Parisha was satisfied and sat back sighing, "My daughter was going to be a Knight."  
  
"Why didn't she?" Neal asked munching on his potatoes.  
  
"She died" Alanna gently murmured to them both.  
  
"Yes" Parisha nodded sadly. She breathed suddenly and changed the subject. The four merrily kept eating and conversing.  
  
Binx suddenly appeared near George's shoulder and murmured something in his ear.  
  
George jumped from his seat. "Aahh, if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to."  
  
Alanna's face turned up to him. "What is it, love?"  
  
"Seldoon's here, needs her a day early, looks like we'll travel back t'Corus without her, tomorrow." He muttered into her ear.  
  
"Should I come?"  
  
"No, no, stay and make Parisha feel welcome." He turned and walked briskly out of the dining hall, with Binx on his heels.  
  
Alanna turned and smiled to Parisha "Does George still do business?" Parisha asked with a wicked smile, knowing perfectly well what George's previous occupation was.  
  
"Oh…sometimes" Alanna told her evasively. She kicked Kel's foot, as if saying; don't breathe a word about the Court and the Rogue Ball.  
  
Kel sipped her wine demurely.  
  
((((((((((((((((  
  
(A/N: Should I let Shelaya meet her mother? People who agree say 'I', people who don't say 'nay'.  
  
You know…It would be good if I just let Shelaya go back to Corus without even seeing Parisha….should I be wicked? *grin evilly* mwehehehehehehe) 


	14. Parisha

Chapter 14  
  
  
  
George knocked on Shelaya's door. He heard a 'Come in' and opened the door.  
  
A thirty-five-year-old man sat on a rich looking armchair. His strawberry- blonde hair flopped over his light blue eyes. His mouth was giving Shelaya a neat perfect-white-toothed smile. Shelaya was laughing and packing her saddle roll.  
  
The man looked at George and stood up quickly. His smile still ever present, he gave George a deep bow.  
  
When he got up again George was standing right in front of him. A moment of silence, then the two men were hugging each other and laughing.  
  
"Seldoon, it has been a long time" George told him, holding his arm and leading the King back to the arm chair. He sat on another one near him.  
  
"Much too long George my friend" he paused and looked closer at George "My dear man, you have grown, are they white hairs I see?"  
  
George laughed out loud "Yes th'years are catching up."  
  
Shelaya walked up to them, still stuffing things into her saddle roll. "Your highness, stop teasing, the Baron still has many years of handsomeness left in him."  
  
The men chucked "That's mighty generous of ye child" George gave Shelaya a wink.  
  
Suddenly remembering, Shelaya turned serious "I'm terribly sorry George, but his Majesty needs me back at the Court, things to ready and such."  
  
"Yes" Seldoon nodded "I'm afraid that I need to steal Shelaya back a day early"  
  
"But why did ye come, why not send a messenger?" George looked puzzled  
  
"Ah…I was feeling a bit claustrophobic, the Ladies of the Court are taking care of everything. The Queen is very good at these things, so I decided to give myself a break a day early, and come to take my prized thief."  
  
Binx made a funny noise.  
  
"Oh, who is the Queen of Ladies by the way, I always forget t'ask Shelaya 'ere"  
  
  
  
"Feyone Barbrash" Shelaya answered him promptly  
  
"She's very good at these sort of things, nice and fresh and young" Seldoon continued "The same age as my son, it would be good for him, he'd have a Queen, when he fights for the throne, that was already trained and could lead him in his first years as King."  
  
Shelaya's insides squirmed at this slightly  
  
"Ahh, how is the li'l bli'er?"  
  
Seldoon gestured towards Shelaya "He's older than Shelaya, not the little blighter anymore, he'll probably be ready this year, or the one next."  
  
"Ummmm" A pause "How is the trade going with the Southern Gallans?"  
  
"Weeell…Business has been-"  
  
"-Uh" Shelaya interrupted them "Your Highness, I'd like to invite someone for myself is that alright?"  
  
He looked at her and gave her another heart-melting perfect smile "Of course it is my dear, but we'll be in the stables, we need to leave now, just invite them and come back okay?"  
  
Shelaya nodded, carrying her back.  
  
"Wait, give your bag to Binx here, we'll ready Blaze for you."  
  
She gave Binx her back and strode out of the room, hearing George and Seldoon talking commerce as they also exited her room going the opposite end towards the stables. She'd have to hurry; there wasn't enough daylight to take them halfway back to Corus.  
  
(((((((  
  
Parisha, along with the other guests, had finished dinner and was now residing in the sitting room. There was music, and over boisterous singing as some people drank more wine than they should have. She sat in a corner with the Lady Alanna and the two young Knights on a plush couch. She looked at Keladry; that could have been her daughter, and sighed.  
  
She watched Neal get up and ask her to dance. She smiled graciously and offered him her hand and rose.  
  
She could hear another gentleman ask for a dance with the Alanna, she refused, so he asked Keladry who accepted.  
  
Parisha felt slightly sick, the room was hot and the music was loud, and the people were having too much fun. Since she couldn't fight it, she let the noise and dance sweep her away.  
  
(((((((((  
  
Shelaya entered the sitting room and scanned it for Kel.  
  
She walked through the crowd, not letting anyone touch her, out of practice, until she tapped on the shoulder of the man who was dancing with Keladry. He turned around surprised.  
  
"May I have this dance?" She asked him with a smirk, he looked from Kel back to her, and then repeated the movement. His mouth opening and closing like a fish he walked off, giving them funny glances.  
  
Shelaya and Kel laughed out loud. Shelaya stopped and grabbed both Kel's hands.  
  
"I want you to come to the Rogue Ball next week. Say yes"  
  
Kel opened her mouth, she squinted at Shelaya as if to get a better look.  
  
"It's going to be heaps of fun, and I'd like to show you my world, go on."  
  
Kel gave her a smile. "Alright."  
  
"Great" She hugged Kel close, the two had become really good friends the past week. "I'll meet you then, come with George and Alanna, you can see Lalasa."  
  
She watched Kel's eyes light up at the thought of being back in Corus, she hadn't been there in many months, and then her lights focused back on Shelaya "Did I miss something? I thought you were taking George and Alanna."  
  
"No, I have to go, now. Business" she shrugged.  
  
Kel nodded, "Okay, have a safe trip." Her face crumpled "Oh, there was someone I wanted you to meet."  
  
"I'm sorry, maybe next time" Shelaya gave her an apologetic smile "They're waiting for me now"  
  
Kel smiled and waved at her "Go."  
  
Shelaya turned without saying good-bye, she hated saying goodbye.  
  
She searched the crowd, just before going, for another red-head. She made eye-contact with Alanna.  
  
Alanna smiled and mouthed 'Got to go?' with a question on her face.  
  
'Yes' Shelaya mouthed back.  
  
'Alright' Alanna gave her a beatific smile.  
  
'George' Shelaya told her just before turning around  
  
Alanna nodded an 'I know, he'll tell me everything' and watched the young woman disappear into the crowds.  
  
  
  
(((((  
  
Parisha was absently watching the crowds around her as Neal was chatting to her about travelling, when she suddenly saw a shade of red that was all-too- familiar. She dug her nails into Neal. She couldn't see the girls face. She gasped "Do you know that girl?" He voice was hoarse.  
  
Neal turned with an astonished face. "What girl, My Lady?"  
  
"The one with the red hair, no, not Alanna, the other one, with blood-red hair" Her blood was banging in her head.  
  
He squinted into the crowd "I don't see-"  
  
"Oh!" She cursed something awful that made Neal's eyebrows rise into his hair. "She's going!" She practically wailed. She pushed at Neal and threaded her way through the crowds as quickly as possible.  
  
It can't be, she's dead, it can't be, it can't be….the thought ran through her head as she bullied her way towards the girl.  
  
When she found a clearing in the crowd, she stopped, gasping and searched for the girl. There was no sign of blood-red hair.  
  
She looked around her and found herself, near the same seat she was sitting on before and Alanna was looking up at her with a puzzled face.  
  
She jumped at Alanna and dug her nails in her shoulders "Did you see that girl, do you know her?"  
  
"Parisha calm down!" She gave Parisha a worried look "What is it?"  
  
"That girl" Still holding Alanna in a deadly grip. She felt hands on her shoulders and felt them deftly undo her claw-like grip from Alanna's shoulders and sit her down.  
  
Kel looked down at her "My Lady? What is it?"  
  
"That girl, do you know her?" Tears were coursing down her face, and her breathe came in ragged gasps.  
  
"Which one?" Alanna asked her slowly.  
  
Parisha's face crumpled and she began to sob "I'm sorry, I was…probably just imagining things…. the one…. blood-red hair…and I thought…. oh goddess…I wish…hold her…my love…my girl…I'm sorry" She cried this out between hiccups. She sipped at the water that Neal had brought her.  
  
Alanna was still looking puzzled, she looked up at Kel "Are you understanding any of this?"  
  
Kel paused; she looked down at the crying woman. Her deep silence made everyone look up at her. Her face was Yamani calm as she made eye contact with Parisha. Her eyebrows rose minutely.  
  
"I think…" She paused  
  
She looked at Parisha's emerald eyes for another minute.  
  
"I think this has something to do with Shelaya." She said quietly  
  
The older woman stiffened.  
  
Silence, as the music still played.  
  
Moving quick as lightening, Parisha knocked down the bigger girl and straddled her chest. Her tear-full eyes looked down at Kel. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SHELAYA?!!!!" her voice was a hysterical, hoarse scream.  
  
The music stopped.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(A/N: Bwoahahahahhah…*gives everyone a beatific smile*. Mmm *smiles contentedly*…that was a niiiiiice scream…what lungs…huahuahuahauhau…Anyway..thanx for all my lovely readers, whether they review or not. *hugs and kisses for everyone* Special hugs and kisses for the more-than-once reviewers: Sweet thang-aka Harry's crush, Larzdinni, kancahn, yuriko, JJJLCC, ummm this is not in order of who I love most hehehheheh…..  
  
  
  
Thanx for voting, for the constructive critisism, and thanks for giving people like me reviews that make them wanna keep writing, and keep writing better.) 


	15. The Rogue Ball

(A/N: This chapter is slightly higher in rating, the story before was harmless, this chapter still is, but more…uh…sexual tension. Dun worry…nothin' bad.., juss an eency wincy bit of female slash.ermmm..pg-13)  
  
  
  
Chapter 15  
  
"Now jist sit still Shelaya"  
  
Shelaya struggled to stand up "Oh come oooooon, aren't you done yet?"  
  
"No way, we 'ave t'get ye just right, and we need to 'ave yer weapons and clothes fastened on properly"  
  
It was the night of the Ball and as a tradition, the Queen of Ladies and her closest friends were to dress and bathe the Rogue's Knife in honour of being trusted with the King's life. Feyone and four of her friends were bustling around Shelaya like bees, brushing and fixing her hair, drying it and tying it, colouring her lips and giving her eyes shadows. Lalasa was also there, fixing the clothes she had made for Shelaya here and there.  
  
The ladies were giggling and making jokes, everyone was ready, the party was about to start, the only thing was that the King was waiting for his 'Knife.  
  
"Now..uuuurmmm, there we go." The ladies stepped back to look at Shelaya and sighed.  
  
"Wow, you are so beautifully….sexy"  
  
"You look like deadly dagger"  
  
"No wonder the King chose you…Mithros"  
  
"My Lady….Goddess!!"  
  
She felt Lalasa wrapping her belt around her and placed her beautiful golden dagger with inset jewels in its sheath.  
  
She took a deep breathe and the ladies parted to let her look in the mirror. She saw her face, with a surprised expression on it.  
  
  
  
She was dressed in the richest deep red leather money could buy. Her breeches were stuck to her almost like a second skin, she could see every contour her muscle made. Her boots were a soft brown.  
  
Her top was slightly nefarious…she had refused to wear it, but in the end, she was ordered to, the King wanted her to make an impression, even if it was scandalous.  
  
It was a vest, a very tight one, that was button less in the front but had lacings, like a bodice. In the beginning she had told Lalasa that it was too small, that's why her cleavage was showing, but Lalasa had told her that the vest was supposed to squeeze her breasts together to show her lovely décolletage.  
  
However much she screamed and said 'no', in the end she was squeezed into the lovely vest, and was laced in the front, but nevertheless, she still felt naked. Her belly and pushed-together-bosom were exposed from behind the strings, and she had a feeling she would be getting unwelcome advances that night. She sighed and watched the leather stretch over her body. She smiled suddenly remembering a day when she had been jealous of Feyone's own front.  
  
What surprised her though, was that she had absolute complete freedom with the whole outfit, no matter how much leather it was made of, it was almost stretchable, she moved freely, unconstrained.  
  
Her face, which was incredibly beautiful and golden on this night was flushed, her emerald eyes twinkled beneath glittery eye shadow. Her lips were shiny with gloss, and her hair was…well another of Feyone's masterpieces. Slicked back, almost unbearable, and tied up. To make her look tough. Her ponytail, which she had wanted to be free was…wrapped up in a frothy mass of a creation that looked completely stable.  
  
She looked…amazing, she thought, and enough to make anyone think twice of assassinating the king.  
  
Strapped up with daggers in special made pockets in her breeches, Shelaya bowed to the Ladies thanking them and walked out of her room. She took a deep breathe. Here we go…  
  
  
  
((((((((((((((((  
  
Seldoon was dressed richly, light blue leather pants, black silk shirt, gold on his fingers and gold on his toes. He looked quite the King.  
  
Haer' Dalis stood on his left, slightly behind the throne, talking to his father. He was dressed in a midnight blue shirt, and dark-blue leather pants. His dark hair falling over his forehead.  
  
He stopped talking to his father, when Seldoon looked up towards Shelaya, who had just walked in. She heard the silence of the thieves. It was just thieves now, the guests hadn't arrived.  
  
She watched Seldoon's eyes widen. She quickly stepped up to his throne and grabbed his right and put it on her forehead as she knelt in front of him. "My Lord, I give you my life to protect yours, I swear by all thieves on this night to defend you and guard you, even if my life is taken. I request being Rogue Knife"  
  
She heard Seldoon's voice boom "Request accepted. Here now, Court of the Rogue, Shelaya has sworn on this night to protect me, for neither you nor I can. She, being the only allowed weapons will save my life, and try to save yours lest harm comes. She has sworn, and we shall confirm."  
  
He raised her hands to his lips, kissed it and nicked it with a knife that she had not seen before. Blood welled on her hand. He raised her hand above her head. "So it is said, so it shall be done. May the Gods and Goddesses bear witness."  
  
A loud cheer and the whole court was clapping.  
  
"Come now my dear, on my right hand, and let us show our visitors how ravishing our people can be" he gave her another white toothed smile, which looked whiter than before.  
  
She stood on his right, separated her legs for good balance and stared straight ahead of her, watching the people file in.  
  
She looked up at 'Dalis to give him a 'hello' grin, but found him staring quite open-mouthed at her. Her eyebrows rose, she gave a glance to the entrance then looked back at him. "Is there a problem 'Dalis?"  
  
He shook his head and focused properly on her "Huh? Oh no, it's just that, you look extremely….nice…tonight."  
  
"Uh…thanks" She answered him with a puzzled frown, she heard a wolf whistle and turned to her right. There stood a few of the Young 'Uns with Binx in the front, they were whistling at her, barking and cat-calling and making unbelievable noises. Seldoon was chuckling and slapping his knees, completely forgetting the guests he was welcoming.  
  
Shelaya turned a red to rival her hair "If you will excuse me, I can't concentrate on my job, when you all sound like dogs in heat."  
  
The Young 'Uns cracked up laughing.  
  
"Shelaya, m'love, I never knew you had such delicious melons, where do you hide them all day?" This coming from Binx.  
  
She couldn't get a deeper red, and some other thieves and guests were laughing. Seldoon was practically wetting his throne. It was 'Dalis who came to her rescue. "That's not a polite thing to say, Binx, leave the kid alone, she's got a job to do."  
  
Binx stopped laughing for a minute. "Kid? Kid? Where 'ave ye been Haer, melons an' curves like that don't belong on kids. The girl's grown, she rivals Queen Thayet in 'er beauty, ye're heads in th'clouds ain't it Haer? Or where ye too busy thinkin 'bout Feyone? How can ye when ye've got a minx working with ye day in an' day out?" He ended his little speech with a bitter tone. He threw 'Dalis a disgusted look and began to walk away but not before: "Shelaya, m'love, mayhap ye an I could talk later, I got somethin' to tell ye."  
  
Shelaya didn't answer, she didn't say anything. She could feel 'Dalis next to her, a solid object of many mixed emotions that she couldn't decipher. She didn't know how she was supposed to react, She wanted to lash out at Binx, or 'Dalis, to scream at them for embarrassing her…but she remembered. A thief must always control his/her emotions… so she did what she could, she separated her legs again and stood staring straight ahead. This might not be as fun as she thought.  
  
  
  
(((((((((((((((  
  
Guests poured in, and still Kel, George, Alanna and their invited member did not come. Shelaya was beginning to fidget.  
  
The King had gone off to dance, but she watched closely, for any signs of danger around him .So far, there was nothing.  
  
She looked around and caught a woman's eye. The woman was beautiful, a bronzy colour like Shelaya's. Her hair was an ebony waterfall, following her curves. Her eyes; obsidian black, her mouth; soft sensuous, a mouth to be kissed in the dark.  
  
Shelaya shuddered, but her eyes widened as the woman remained eye-contact and began to make her way through the dancing crowds towards Shelaya. Shelaya's eyes ran down the woman's her long length. Her dress was as nefarious as Shelaya's vest, a deep violet silk dress, much like a kimono, but more wicked, caressed her hips, legs, stomach and full breasts.  
  
She stepped up to Shelaya "Hello" She breathed. She was as tall as Shelaya, but just a little bit shorter.  
  
Shelaya still standing well-balanced, gave a small bow, not deep enough to expose her throat "Your Royal Majesty".  
  
The woman softly cupped Shelaya's chin and straightened her up "Oh, no need for that, let's just be casual" She purred, with a heavy foreign accent.  
  
Shelaya's emeralds twinkled into the hematite like eyes. Just because she wears black, doesn't mean she's evil, Shelaya thought to herself, maybe nefarious but not evil.  
  
"So you are the Rogue Knife, you must be good…uh.." The woman raised her beautiful eyebrows.  
  
"Shelaya, Your M-, Shelaya…."  
  
"Call me Raven," the woman's husky breathe brushed Shelaya's face. She was a bit too close for Shelaya's tastes, and she was, the ruling thief for many countries. She could gut me in a second, Shelaya suddenly realised.  
  
She slowly danced out of The Ravens' closeness. "Ah…Raven… how are you liking the-"  
  
The Raven interrupted her; she had come closer again, pushing Shelaya back into the curtains behind the throne "My dear, what is a beautiful girl like you, doing, among such," She paused, her beautiful face twisted with disgust, "Ugly people?"  
  
'Ugly people?' Shelaya mouthed soundlessly.  
  
"Yes" the woman's heated eye's gazed into Shelaya's, she was an inch from touching her lips to Shelaya's "Come, and join with me, I rule more Kingdom's than Seldoon will ever have, and with you by my side, you can rule it too. Our beauty will beguile every one" Her right hand had rested on Shelaya's waist and her left hand was caressing Shelaya red locks.  
  
Shelaya's brains had frozen when she realised what this woman was. She's a woman lover, she wants me to bed her, and become her…oh that's why we never hear of a male ruler, she doesn't like men…and oh...she wants me?  
  
Shelaya blushed a deep red, she seemed to be doing that a lot.  
  
The woman murmured into her mouth "You are so pretty when you blush, my dear" Both her hands snaked around Shelaya's waist and pulled her closer to her.  
  
Shelaya gulped, she didn't know what to do, she couldn't hurt the Raven, because that will offend her and maybe put Seldoon in the Raven's bad terms. She couldn't refuse her, because that could cause the same thing, and she would definitely NOT agree to this, nefarious deed. But how to get out of this situation?  
  
  
  
"Raven, my dear" A boisterous voice was heard.  
  
Raven let go of her and turned around, abruptly "Aaaaaaahh, Seldoon my dear. Just the King I wanted to see" she purred, swaying to him.  
  
"Raven, how are you enjoying the Ball?"  
  
"It's magnificent, Seldoon dear, the people are magnificent. I was just telling your little beauty here about how magnificent I thought everything was, my dear" She gave him a syrupy smile.  
  
"Yes she is a beauty isn't she?" He looked at Shelaya, her face was perfect still, but he could still see the relief in her eyes. He was going to chuckle about this later.  
  
"Very beautiful" Raven told him, as she looked at Shelaya with intense eyes, looking at her up and down as if she was rubbing against her.  
  
Seldoon cleared his throat " If you don't mind, Raven my dear, there are people I'd like you to meet" He took her arm.  
  
"Of course, Seldoon dear, of course." She gave Shelaya another heated look just before she turned.  
  
"Isn't she just wicked?" Shelaya looked up to see 'Dalis's smiling eyes watching raven walk away. "I was talking to her before, she's very…nefarious."  
  
(A/N: yep, you guessed it. "Nefarious" is my word for the day. *chuckles*)  
  
When Shelaya nodded, he added "Though, she's a very dangerous woman, I hope father's able to get the land off the Gallans from her"  
  
"Yes" Shelaya said  
  
He cocked his head "What's wrong?"  
  
She told him about the wicked woman and what she had been doing.  
  
First his eyes widened, then he smiled, then he laughed, then he grew sober. Then gruff "Well, you shouldn't be wearing such revealing clothes." He made to turn around.  
  
Shelaya had had enough sexual harassment for the night "Don't you go all big brother on me. You know I didn't chose to wear these clothes; they seem to be getting me into a lot of trouble."  
  
'Dalis turned around, about to apologize, but Shelaya had done her stance thingy and was back to staring at nothing and watching the King.  
  
He opened his mouth, then closed it, feeling sorry and walked off to mingle.  
  
  
  
Shelaya said and did nothing  
  
  
  
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))  
  
  
  
Kel, George, Alanna and their invited guest walked into the Ball room.  
  
Parisha kept gasping "My daughter is a thief?" Each time sounding less disapproving. It was, after all, Parisha that had taught Shelaya that every job deserved respect whatever it was, as long as it brought food to the table. And well…stealing did bring food to the table, and it had it's own set of laws and its own chivalry, and plus her friend George used to be a thief. But George is not your daughter. Another side of her was screaming. My daughter is aalllliiiiiiiive. And another side was. What are we going to talk about?  
  
And then she remembered what George had told her, how she had forgotten her memory, and how she didn't know who her mother was.  
  
She kept repeating the same line as they walked closer to the throne: "My baby, my baby, my baby, my baby" A pause "My baby?" the last was a question. Parisha was looking unmistakeably at her beautiful daughter: Shelaya Cartwill, who she had thought had died, but was really alive. And Parisha was surprised because… "What is she doing dressed like THAT?"  
  
  
  
(A/N: I read that word "Nefarious" and I couldn't get it out of my head, I HAD to use it…hehheh) 


	16. Betrayal

(A/N: Just before the big climax of Book One comes I just wanna say thankyou to everyone who has read this story, and this chapter and the next are especially for you Megan.)  
  
Chapter 16  
  
  
  
Kel looked too, and her eyes also widened. 'Wow' she mouthed silently.  
  
Alanna was also a bit surprised, but George's eye's didn't even flicker "Ah, yes, it's okay My Lady, just a bit of harmless dressin' up, and no one's gonna annoy her 'cause she's the Rogue Knife see? She's supposed to look tough, and she is."  
  
  
  
Parisha's mouth opened and closed like a fish, then she said weakly "I suppose I have no right to tell her how to dress, since I haven't seen her for five years" Or watched her grow, or give her advice, or brush her hair, or giggle about things with her. This she thought to herself, tears coursing down in her innards, grief ripping her hear apart and regret sobbing inside her.  
  
She looked at George and he held on to her right arm just in case she fainted. Her golden face looked pasty.  
  
Kel silently left George and Alanna to consult the bewildered mother and she threaded through the boisterous crowds towards Shelaya.  
  
She tapped Shelaya on the shoulder. Shelaya turned around and her eyes widened. "Kel!" She gave the bigger girl a hug "You've finally come"  
  
Kel held her at arms length "Yeah" she told her breathlessly, she searched her face fro something.  
  
"What is it?" Shelaya asked, her eyebrows knitting  
  
Kel paused her search and looked into Shelaya's eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Nothing" She smiled at Shelaya  
  
"You look wonderful, I think you gave Alanna a bit of a fright." Kel laughed, and Shelaya joined her.  
  
"So how's the job going?" Kel asked Shelaya  
  
"Good, good" Shelaya told her absentmindedly, as she searched for Seldoon "Gotta keep my eye on His Highness, you know"  
  
Kel smiled a little "I understand, I'll catch you when you're a little free."  
  
Shelaya focused properly on her for the first time. "I'm terribly sorry Kel, it's just…" she shrugged her leather clad shoulders.  
  
Kel grinned "Hey, hey, I said I understand, it's ok. Really"  
  
"Thank you" Shelaya gripped her hand in silent thanks.  
  
"Who's this Shelaya?" Shelaya looked around to see 'Dalis at shoulder looking at Kel.  
  
"Dalis, this is Kel, Kel…this is Haer' Dalis, mingle you two, I've got something to do, excuse me" The two excused Shelaya, since she was practically bouncing on her toes, as if she needed to go to the privy.  
  
Shelaya heard 'Dalis say somehitn before the noise of the crowd drowned him out."…she's very devoted to her job, she's one of a kind that kid…"  
  
She frowned at 'that kid' but let it slide.  
  
******  
  
  
  
Shelaya felt a foreboding cloud hanging over her. Where was Seldoon?  
  
She stood on tiptoe and searched the crowd.  
  
There he was.  
  
The feeling didn't want to go away, something bad was going to happen, she could almost taste it.  
  
Two strong muscular circled around her waist, and dragged her to the side, near a wall.  
  
She made an exasperated noise. "Let me go!"  
  
"Shelaya love, I thought ye'd be 'appy to see me. I certainly am." He pulled her closer to him, where she could actually feel how happy he was to see her.  
  
"Binx!" She growled "Not now!"  
  
He spun her around, grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the wall behind her. Being a thief, he also knew how to disarm her legs; he did a cross thingy that made her legs stop struggling.  
  
"Binx! Mithros Curse! Let me go!"  
  
"Shelaya" He murmured against her lips.  
  
She turned her head away from him, her hands and legs working to loosen his grip. "Binx!" She growled as deep as she could.  
  
She couldn't do anything about his grip, as a male he was stronger her, it was a fact.  
  
"M'love, ye smell absolutely lovely." He dipped his head to her breasts and planted light kisses on her cleavage.  
  
"BIIIIIIIIINX!" She snarled.  
  
He laughed cruelly.  
  
She widened her eyes in surprise.  
  
She saw him turn back to the crowd, still holding her in place, look for something then turn back to her. His face had completely changed; there was a dangerous glint in his eyes, and a cruel play to his face.  
  
Shelaya's jaw dropped in amazement, and understanding. "Traitor!" She whispered.  
  
His malicious smiled gave her an affirmative.  
  
"Traitor!!!" She screamed desperately in his face.  
  
Her face went slack, her eyes dull and dangerous, she bent forward as if to kiss him and he leaned in too. Their lips connected, her tongue opened his mouth, and his tongue came burrowing into her mouth.  
  
She gave him a god-awful bite on the tongue that nearly cut his tongue in half.  
  
He screamed and fell backward.  
  
She jumped in the air, and gave his head a snapping kick that made him lose consciousness.  
  
She ran toward Seldoon, deeper in the crowd, her dagger and knives out and ready to use.  
  
Frustrated at the body closeness of the crowd, she cried out.  
  
The crowd was still too thick. And too panicky, they had seen what had happened with Binx.  
  
Looking up, she saw the heavy chandeliers.  
  
Hmmmm, she thought.  
  
Undoing her long belt, she looped it at the end.  
  
"Here we go," she murmured. "I am supposed to be superwoman, sort of."  
  
Letting the leather go up, she caught a hook on the chandelier, it wasn't stable, but it would do.  
  
She backed up in a small space she had and jumped hanging tight to the belt.  
  
Swinging over the hall, she had an urge to shout out loud. But she got a hold of herself and searched for Seldoon.  
  
Scanning the hall with inbuilt radar that every thief had, she spotted a bowman, already cocking an arrow towards Seldoon.  
  
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Letting go of the belt, she soared over the crowd, and landed cat-like behind Seldoon.  
  
Startled he called turned around "Shelaya?"  
  
She reached out and hugged her King as close as she could, then spun their positions around as an arrow came whizzing and thunked into her shoulder.  
  
She cried out.  
  
Seldoon cried out "Shelaya!!!"  
  
A woman cried "Shelaya!"  
  
The crowd screamed.  
  
Another arrow was loose. This one Shelaya could hear, in slow motion, the whir of its speed cutting through the air particles.  
  
She felt it puncture her skin, under her right shoulder blade, and puncture her lungs. She could hear the air whoosh out of the new hole in her lungs, and her nerves starts screaming in pain. The wood rubbing against her tissue.  
  
The sound of everyone was now completely blurred. Nearly silent.  
  
And she knew, another arrow was on its way, and that this would kill her.  
  
But she was happy that she was going to die for her King.  
  
Slowly blinking in pain, everything silent now, she turned around, still shielding her King, and tilted her head proudly towards the bowman, as if daring him on.  
  
She watched him sighting (everything was slowed down extremely, now) and cock the arrow, and let it loose, sure and straight.  
  
Shelaya looked at the arrow spinning toward her, just watched it silently, not bracing herself, just watching and waiting…for the end… 


	17. To be Continued...

Chapter 17  
  
A shadow stepped in front of Shelaya.  
  
A woman with startling green eyes looked down at Shelaya with gentle eyes.  
  
For a few milliseconds the woman and Shelaya looked at each other with new found delight, love, amazement, happiness, sadness, joy, regret…. feelings that stretched over so many years.  
  
Then the woman's eyes opened wider in pain and she slumped toward Shelaya.  
  
"Love you." The woman whispered against Shelaya.  
  
Holding the woman up, Shelaya saw that the arrow had hit the woman's left side, near her heart.  
  
"No!" Shelaya sobbed. In anger and pain, her own arrows draining her quickly.  
  
"Parisha!!!" A snake like voice hissed, the hall became silent for real.  
  
Shelaya swayed as she looked towards the voice.  
  
The Raven.  
  
"For so many years you have been hiding from me, and now, when you come for your daughter…." Raven cackled evilly "I have killed two birds with one stone haven't I? No, I shouldn't say birds since I am one…but…I don't want to see you die Parisha, not yet, I think…yes…I think I will." Her voice turned deeper. "Seize her!"  
  
Shelaya only saw shadows for a few seconds, then she felt more than saw, black hooded figures rip the woman out of her arms, and out of the hall, into the night.  
  
"No!" She screamed.  
  
And in those few seconds, Shelaya Cartwill remembered who she was.  
  
A gut-wrenching scream escaped her throat. A scream that brought tears to everyone listening, a scream that blocked throats and made people want to hold someone, while they sobbed.  
  
"Momma!!!!!!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
(A/N: YAAAAAAAAY!!! Book One is Finished….*dun dun dun dun* *sob* *sob* poor Shelaya, poor Parisha….ah dun worry, no one's dead yet, or…that's what I THINK….Hey!! It's not the end of Shelaya, there's gonna be book 2 and book three so stand by and be waiting. *wink* *wink*. One more time just before I sign out: A BIIIIIIIIG Thankyou for EVERYONE who has read the story… and an EVEN BIGGER THANKYOU for those who reviewed, you know who you are. *screams out* THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
BTW, this story and the upcoming books of Shelaya are dedicated to 'Sweet Thang aka Harry's Crush', for asking me when I was gonna get my story done. Thanx Megan!!!)  
  
  
  
Bye 4 now  
  
Jeporra  
  
^j^ 


End file.
